In the 1920s, someone bet Ernest Hemingway ten dollars that he couldn't write a complete story in just six words. Hemingway came back with:
"For Sale: baby shoes, never worn."
He won the bet.
Last year Smith Magazine asked readers to sum up their own lives in just six words. The results are now a book called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure.
Here are some interesting entries:
- Head in books, feet in flowers. (Heather Thomson)
- Trust me, I did my best. (Ray Kemp)
- Married childhood sweetheart. Two kids. Content. (Steve McMullen)
- Partner, pension, motorhome, life is good. (Bob Lindblom)
- Wasted my whole life getting comfortable. (Richard Merrington)
- Worry about tomorrow, rarely enjoy today! (Richard Rabone)
- Four Weddings, Three kids, then cancer. (Gillian Johnson)
- Not quite finished, tell you later. (Dave Nicholson)
- Really should have been a Lawyer. (Gules Fallan)
- Bored, so bored, so very bored. (John Doyle)
- Ditched the map, found better route. (Gillian Smellie)
Following this same idea, Jesus might have summarized his life this way: "To seek and save the lost." [Luke 19:10] or "To give abundant life to all." [John 10:10]
Paul might have summarized his life: "Tough fight, long race, won both." [2 Timothy 4:7]
Peter might have said: "Took chances, failed often, experienced power." [Matthew 14:29; Mark 14:71; Acts 5:15]
King David might have said: "The Lord is all I need." [Psalm 23:1]
How would you summarize your life in six words?
