The best is yet to come

　　There was a young woman who had been diagnosed

　　with a terminal illness and had been given three

　　months to live. So as she was getting her things

　　"in order," she contacted her Rabbi (法師）and had him

　　come to her house to discuss certain aspects of

　　her final wishes.

　　She told him which songs she wanted sung at the

　　service, what scriptures （經文）she would like read, and

　　what outfit （用具）she wanted to be buried in.

　　Everything was in order and the Rabbi was

　　preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly

　　remembered something very important to her.

　　"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

　　"What' that?" came the Rabbi's reply.

　　"This is very important," the young woman

　　continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my

　　right hand."

　　The Rabbi stood looking at the young woman, not

　　knowing quite what to say.

　　That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman

　　asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the

　　request," said the Rabbi.

　　The young woman explained. "My grandmother once

　　told me this story, and from there on out, I have

　　always done so. I have also, always tried to pass

　　along its message to those I love and those who

　　are in need of encouragement.

　　In all my years of attending socials and

　　dinners, I always remember that when the

　　dishes of the main course were being cleared,

　　someone would inevitably lean over and say,

　　'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because

　　I knew that something better was coming……like

　　velvety （象天鵝絨的, 柔軟的）chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie.

　　Something wonderful, and with substance!'

　　So, I just want people to see me there in that

　　casket （棺材）with a fork in my hand and I want them to

　　wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to

　　tell them: "Keep your fork ……the best is yet to

　　come."

　　The Rabbi's eyes welled up with tears of joy as

　　he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this

　　would be one of the last times he would see her

　　before her death. But he also knew that the young

　　woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did.

　　She had a better grasp of what heaven would be

　　like than many people twice her age, with twice

　　as much experience and knowledge.

　　She KNEW that something better was coming.

　　At the funeral people were walking by the young

　　woman's casket and they saw the cloak （斗篷，寬大外衣）she

　　was wearing and the fork placed in her right

　　hand. Over and over, the Rabbi heard the

　　question

　　"What's with the fork?" And over and over he

　　smiled.

　　During his message, the Rabbi told the people of

　　the conversation he had with the young woman

　　shortly before she died. He also told them about

　　the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The

　　pastor （牧師）told the people how he could not stop

　　thinking about the fork and told them that they

　　probably would not be able to stop thinking about

　　it either.

　　He was right. So the next time you reach down for

　　your fork, let it remind you ever so gently, that

　　the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare

　　jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage

　　you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a

　　word of praise, and they always want to open

　　their hearts to us. Show your friends how much

　　you care. Remember to always be there for them,

　　even when you need them more. For you never know

　　when it may be their time to "Keep your fork."

　　Cherish the time you have, and the memories you

　　share…… being friends with someone is not an

　　opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

　　" If you are thinking one year ahead, you plant rice. If you are

　　thinking twenty years ahead, you plant trees. If you are thinking

　　a hundred years ahead, you educate people.

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