The End

The picture fades out and lively music crescendos. Hundreds of names begin making their ascent up the screen. I turn to David, seated next to me. We smile and begin gathering our belongings – a small brown purse, a half-full tub of buttered popcorn, and a pile of wadded napkins.

“Well, what did you think?” David asks. I notice many others are muttering similar questions as they file out the rows and down the steps, as they exit through the double doors and make their way to the parking lot. Questions, comments, and conclusions are shared, expressing excitement, apathy, or even disgust over the still fresh-in-their-mind storyline.

It all started with 2 perforated tickets and 2 hours of plot-twisting, and it ended with 2 final words – The End.

That’s why everyone was talking about it… because it was over. The end came. The conclusion was there. It was time to evaluate, time to say, “Well, what did you think?”

This theater scene was the first to enter my mind after I read Ecclesiastes 7:8 this week. It’s a verse I had not encountered before.

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning.”

I had to chew on this piece of scripture for awhile. I had to peer into its context, linger over its logic, and sink slowly into its truth. “The end is better than the beginning.” Funny, I’ve always placed my affections in the opposite direction. I’ve always admired the beginning… Pulling out a new book, folding back the cover, and reading the very first lines; sitting in a sanctuary as a teary-eyed groom watches his adoring bride come slowly towards him; the first few weeks of a baby’s life when everyone hovers, taking delight in the simplest of movements; and even the first day of school – the back-packs and blue jeans, the feel of nerves and the smell of new pencils.

Beginnings have always been labeled as good. They’ve always seemed to be desirable. They’ve always been met with anticipation and whole-hearted fervor.

But what about the end? Is it truly better than the beginning?

The last day of school instead of the first. The end of a life instead of its beginning. A 50th Anniversary party instead of a wedding. The final page of a book. The last screen in a movie. The end.

I see it now. The end – the end is good. The end is growing on me. The end is… better.

The beginning contains anticipation, but the end holds achievement. The beginning involves thinking and planning, but the end offers experience. The beginning holds newness and mystery, but the end holds wisdom and discovery.

Life has been lived. It’s not about to be. It has been. Complete with the highs and the lows, the fear and the security, the gut-wrenching pain mixed with a soul-touching beauty. And we’ve survived. Better yet, we’ve learned.

The end means we can turn to our friends and say, “Well, what did you think?” We can walk away sharing comments, asking questions, making evaluations… “Did you see how…?” or “I can’t believe that…” or “I wish I would have…” Excitement is there. Experience is gained. Conclusion is found.

Carrying our half-filled tub of popcorn, I turned to David and finally responded, “I liked it.” And I did. I’m starting to love stories… all stories, all experiences, even all endings.