No. This is not an obituary.
But as I write this on my 82nd birthday, I'm reminded of the oft-told story of "Life in the Hyphen." A man visiting a cemetery noticed the hyphen between the date of birth and the date of death on each headstone and started wondering what went on in the lives of these people between the time they were born and the time they died: What did they do during the Hyphen?
I started thinking about other marks I could use to punctuate my life.
! The Exclamation Point marks times of excitement, and I've had my share. In retrospect, one of the most exciting days of my life came on July 17, 1965, when Pansy and I stood at the altar in a church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and pledged our lives to each other, "from now on! Other exciting times include April 7, 1969, and August 22, 1972, birth dates for our sons, Russell and Jonathan, respectively! I could add exciting times when we've traveled to London! Paris! Madrid! Rome! Yellowstone! the Grand Canyon! and on and on and on and on and on! And on!
? The Question Mark also has made its appearance many times in my 82 years: How am I going to pay for my college tuition now that I've committed my life to the ministry? Answer: One step at a time? Why did Randall, one of our premature twin sons, die after 13 days? I'm still waiting for a good answer. What am I going to do with all my time when I retire? Dumb question. Plenty. Teach the Baraca Radio Sunday School Class from First Baptist Church every week. Minister in retirement homes each month. Direct plays in community theatre. Serve on volunteer boards: Anderson-Oconee Council on Aging (now Senior Solutions), Project Challenge Playhouse; Literacy Association, ACLU Upstate Chapter; Upstate Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Coordinating Council, Friends of the Library, Lifelong Learning Institute at Anderson University, Foothills Writers Guild. Write books.
, The Lowly Comma symbolizes a pause. Pansy says I need to add a few more of those after all those activities I listed with the Question Mark. Point well made and, I hope, well taken, as I have left several of those to other people.
. The Period serves a useful purpose, but I'm not ready to use it yet because it indicates a stop. I've made various stops along the way, such as graduating from high school, college, seminary, and graduate school; and leaving various jobs in church and denomination and higher education. But none of these has been a complete stop.
The Cedilla looks a lot like a comma, but when it is attached to a letter, it gives a special pronunciation, such as in “Façade,” making it fuh-sod instead of fack-ade.
Every writer or speaker likes to give special twists to his or her presentation from time to time, such as making this to-do about diacritical marking.
The Tilde gives a special emphasis in Spanish, as in mañana. But my Spanish is limited to trying to say huevos rancheros in Mexican restaurants. So I won’t go there.
‽ The Interrobang, a late-born child in the punctuation family, combines the Exclamation Mark and the Question Mark: The adrenaline pumps, as I’m not sure what to make of a situation. Will Trump or Clinton win the presidency, and what difference will it make either way, and where is Bernie now that we need him‽
; The Semicolon shows up when I feel I must say much; I have many more things I need to tell you; things just keep coming to my mind; I don’t know where to stop. Life goes on; things get so exciting; never a dull moment; I don’t know where to stop.
'The Apostrophe usually indicates something has been left out. The story has it that Robert Frost was asked what promises he felt he had to keep before he could sleep (in his poem, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"). The poet replied, "If I had wanted you to know, I would have told you.” At this point, you don’t feel I’ve left anything out.
: The Colon comes into play when there’s more to be said: Life is not over. Another Baraca broadcast to prepare for. Other Communion services at retirement centers. Other Lifelong Learning classes to teach. Other books on my Bucket List.
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