We continue to “almost” discuss death and personal wishes but just don’t get there….
Let’s find a way to stop and reflect on life and death. What is the purpose of life? You know that I say “the purpose of life is life with a purpose”.
All of us want to be appreciated, needed, loved, and respected for something we hold near and dear. Often our best plans however are “going to happen”.
“When I have $10,000 in the bank I am going to……”
“As soon as I feel I better understand blogging I will start my own blog.”
“When I can save up two weeks consecutive vacation time I am going to get to Alaska.”
“I really hate my job and need to figure out what to do next. Right now I need the money.”
“I would love to make more time for exercise but that’ll have to wait until the kids are older.”
“Sure I know I should eat more vegetables but I hardly have enough time to eat anything the way things are.”
Okay…you have never thought any of those thoughts but you have had some of your own. Excuses. Procrastinations. Reasons not to move ahead. Plans that don’t quite materialize.
How about writing your own obituary? Make a “game night” with a few loved ones and agree that everyone will write their own obituary with the assumption that you will die within hours. What would it look like? What would YOU attribute to yourself as accomplishments? What would you want to be remembered for? What other people would you list in it as near and dear to you?
Want some examples? This site ranges from infants to oldsters (called grandparents). I found the teenage obituary section to be particularly meaningful.
https://www.loveliveson.com/obituary-examples/#teenager_anchor
Review it – keep it private if you want – or agree to share with each other. Sit back. Ponder. What have you done with your life to date?
Then agree to sit and write another one – but for the YOU that dies at age 100. You have plenty of time to fit in a lot more things. What are you going to add? What plans and dreams are you going to make happen?
Feels a lot more real to me when I write it all down. Review what you (or a friend if you want to exchange them) have done. Think about what hasn’t been added to the obit or celebration of life or whatever you want to call it BUT get going!
The purpose of life is life with a purpose. Can you get that conversation started? Please for your own sake and for the sake of folks you care about! We don’t come with an expiration date.
