With a deliberate motion, William Brownwell put a period in place, and completed the last chapter of his book. He then put his head into his 90-year-old hands, and sobbed as he sank into the arms of his nephew and niece-in-law.
Mr. Brownwell's tears were not that of sorrow, but of joy. He had not written an autobiography as such, although many men in his position might have. He had lived a long and interesting life, and by his inventions had revolutionized two entire industries and made plenty of wealth in doing it. For many men born African American in the Jim Crow south as he had been, this autobiography would have been a chance to make sure the his genius and that of his people was not hidden.
But that had not interested Mr. Brownwell. What he had wanted to do was highlight the steps by which he had found and made opportunity to go from a poor boy in Louisiana to one of the most influential inventors in the country, if not the best known. He had also included what he thought were his greatest failures and how to avoid them. He felt that it would be better to leave tools for others to use than to build a monument to himself with his last efforts.
The Brownwell children had not quite seen it that way. They were out promoting the book as if it assured the revelation of the greatness of their father -- and themselves -- and, sure enough, a wide swath of the public was anxiously waiting to read it.
However, one nephew -- Tarik -- and his wife Sanaa had done the work necessary to care for their uncle so he could actually finish the book while the family was out promoting. It had been hard work, for Mr. Brownwell needed 24-hour care. The only thing working well was his mind, and his right hand.
But at last --.
"It is done!" Mr. Brownwell cried in his broken voice! "Thank you, Tarik and Sanaa! I could not have finished well without your love for me!"
He pointed back to the pages of his manuscript.
"In here I have admitted my one failure -- I gave your cousins the impression that greatness lay in the impact I made in the wider world. I was wrong, but God blessed me with you, who taught me better. Love your family to come -- they are your real legacy, and if they do not understand the best of what you have to teach, you have failed!"
"Are you saying ... you failed in life?" Tarik said.
"Until today! I love you both, and I am giving you this to help you -- and also this!"
Mr. Brownwell reached into the desk, and pulled out an envelope.
"Take this, and my manuscript -- make a book of it, but not for the curious public. Read it, and share it with those who have the desire to do things right!"
"But how are we going to do that when your children will have control?" said Sanna.
Mr. Brownwell smiled.
"That is what the envelope is for!"
His smile grew larger suddenly.
"Thank God, I have finished," he said. "The last chapter is done! Thank you, Tarik, and thank you, Sanaa -- I love you both!"
Then he looked up.
"Thank You -- I am ready now!"
And he was gone, the last chapter of his life indeed completed. In the epilogue, he left all that he had to those who had loved him -- Tarik and Sanaa, who avoided his failures and used their inheritance to set a legacy of family-oriented success.
Photo Credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash