What do you want in your eulogy?

We know for sure that we all will die. We don’t get to choose how or when, but one guarantee is that we will. I want you to think about how you want to be remembered after you die. When your eulogy is being read, what do you want it to say?

There are hundreds of ways one could be remembered: famous actor; gentle grandparent; best farmer; honest business person; intelligent contributor; great storyteller; awesome carpenter; best friend; amazing architect; natural parent; creative gardener; descriptive writer; fabulous cook; good listener; immaculate housekeeper; amazing mechanic; top salesperson; outstanding athlete; awesome artist; consistent golfer; innovative teacher; financial contributor; authentic Christian; hilarious jokester; loving spouse; and the list goes on and on.

You can choose one from my list or add your own; it doesn’t matter. What matters is that every day you do something that contributes to what defines you.

I’ve known people who want to be known as kind and compassionate, but they never smile or say a nice thing about anyone; who want to be a great artist, but never find the time to pick up a paint brush; who want to be the best parent, but find other things that take time away from their children; who want to be healthy, but have their kitchen full of junk food; who want to be an expert on something, but never do the research; or who want a great love relationship, but can’t be patient or communicate effectively.

I received an email from a woman who suddenly lost her husband from a heart attack. She wrote, “…he was my right arm, my love, and my life…” You can know that his daily actions led his wife to write those words.

Unlike creating the well known “Bucket List” where you determine what you want to do, instead, identify your finest characteristic or contribution. Make that a priority, and match your actions with your values.

There is no right or wrong or good or bad in how you want to be remembered. Deciding what holds your highest value is a soul search combined with daily behavior.

What is written in our eulogy or read at our funeral is usually out of our hands, but we can live a life that reflects what matters most to us, and if we’re lucky, that is how we will be remembered.

Until the next time: Live while you live