Okay, it is time for me to go a little philosophic on my readers. Hopefully, this will get you all to reflect a bit on your own lives. This article examines end of life accomplishments.
Recently, I attended a friends funeral. A member of the family started reading off all his past accomplishments. As I listened, I started considering my own. I then wondered, “Does it really matter?” As I arrived at the cemetery, I saw many tombstones of individuals. Some of the names I remembered and some I didn’t. Not once did any of their accomplishments come to mind. Not one stone had any lists of accomplishments on them. It is as if they were all forgotten, but their names. In some cases, even the names were hard to recall.
Historically, we remember important figures and some of their important accomplishments. Their past actions have been written down. The farthest back in history, that I can remember back, are noted in Homer’s book, “The Iliad and the Odyssey.” However, those thoughts are quick to pass away. The only reason I bring this is up is because they were written down.
So, how important are the job promotions, bowling tournament trophies and high positions of offices held? The only person they matter to, is the individual themselves. Don’t get me wrong, those are important.
However, I believe that what matters most is how we lived. How did we navigate the challenges of life? Challenges like, educating yourself, being a parent, husband or grandfather, developing a religious faith and of course helping others.
It is our journey through life that counts, not our accomplishments. There endeth the lesson.