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I attended an incredibly sad funeral this morning – of a vibrant life cut way too short. As I arrived early and watched what seemed to be a very diverse group of attendees – young, old, senior executives to personal friends, I couldn’t help but to wonder about the vast array of lives this person had touched. Throughout the moving service, I wondered less about what this person accomplished and much more about how others described him – the rich, loving life he lived. I found myself pondering what seems to be a cliché, yet worth asking:
If this were my funeral, who would show up and what would they say?
I’m convinced more than ever that few will care about the size of my house or bank account; they will be there because of the portfolio of real relationships I invested in – personally and professionally. You see the person who passed away, wasn’t a whole lot older than I am – another reminder that you can’t take any given day for granted!
Who would you most like to see at your funeral and what would you want them to say? What will you do to make 2010 count? What are you doing to invest in those relationships today? That’s something LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter can’t do for you!
What a reminder that life is really short. I always recite a quote from Maya Angelou – People will forget what you said to them, they will forget what you did for them but they will never forget how you made them feel. The relationship is developed by those moments when we made someone feel important, appreciated, loved, acknowledged, and part of a team. Of course we make more deposits in person but we also accomplish this by personal notes and calls.
Thanks for your insight. I’m in that age group too!
Exceptionally well said, David. The poet William Wordsworth noted, “The world is too much with us.”
I agree that our legacy should not consist of whether we own a second home, belong to a country club, have a list of 300 clients, or get interviewed by the Wall Street Journal.
The real measure of our lives should indeed be the depth of the relationships we have established in our family, friendship circle, community, and beyond. And I’d add a spiritual relationship, too.
Thanks for reminding us that life can be too short…eat dessert first!!….and that material possessions don’t count near as much as relationships and what you can do for others.