Recently, in our town’s visitor guide, there was a piece written by Wall Street Journal author, James R. Hagerty, who wrote a book featuring a collection of obituaries called Yours Truly: An Obituary Writer’s Guide to Telling Your Story. The book was also a call to write your own obituary.

His challenge was two fold: buy his book and then buy into writing your own life story. The idea of writing my story is on my mind every day but just not in the way he suggests with an obituary. While death is not on my doorstep, it’s been looming over others in my life, so I thought I should at least consider it.

While my post today will not feature an actual obituary, it will contain snippets of my life.

Jennifer Wood Laird lived a hundred lives. She began as a daughter, sister, niece, and granddaughter. And, she quickly morphed into friend, best friend, confidant, supporter, rival, and foe to few. Her years of schooling created a student, student-teacher, cheater, speaker, advocate, and educator. During her high school years, she was a baller, player and competitor. At the right (and wrong times), she dabbled as a girlfriend, high school sweetheart, lover, one-time stalker, fiancee, and eventually wife. For decades, she was a storyteller, writer, and journalist.

Perhaps she was most widely known as MOM, and her absence will immeasurably impact the lives of her three children. She was the keeper of their stories, memories, hearts, dreams, love, fears, problems, headaches, obstacles, and missing socks.

Her spirited presence, loud voice, and bold personality will be missed by many.