Your Life in Six Words

If you had to summarize your life in six words, what would they be? Several years ago an online magazine asked that question. It was inspired by a possibly legendary challenge posed to Ernest Hemingway to write a six-word story that resulted in the sad classic "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." The magazine was flooded with so many responses that the site almost crashed, and the responses were eventually turned into a book. Not Quite What I Was Planning is filled with six-word memoirs by writers "famous and obscure." Here are some of the memoirs that range from funny to ironic to inspiring to heartbreaking:

• "One tooth, one cavity; life's cruel."
• "Savior complex makes for many disappointments."
• "Cursed with cancer. Blessed with friends." (This one was written by a nine-year-old boy with cancer).
• "The psychic said I'd be richer."
• This one was only five words: "One long train to darkness."
• "It all changed in an instant."
• "Tombstone won't say: 'Had health insurance.'"
• "Not a good Christian, but trying."
• "Thought I would have more impact."
• "I can't keep my own secrets."

Just six words, that's the rule, and that requires us to focus on what matters most. So, I'm working on mine and I promise to post my six word life summary before New Years. Will you join me in this exercise? Not a bad time to look back and to take stock of things and life in general. Give it try. And I hope you'll share yours, too. Your life in six words. Go for it. (Nope. That's only three words.)