I attended a Memorial Service this past weekend to honor the life of a dear friend, who left this world too soon. I would like to share her final words and hope that they can serve to inspire you as much as they inspire me. Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues, You all know me pretty well. So it should come as no surprise that I wanted the last word. First and foremost: I love you. If you’re reading or hearing these words, you were part of a wonderful life. What made it wonderful was having you in it. I was blessed with a fantastic life full of fun, adventure, interesting work, and most of all, the love of so many wonderful people. Please know you made my life better for having been in it. And for that I am deeply grateful. Although cancer did not define my life, it was part of it. When I first got sick, I truly wondered, “Will I have a support system?” I know how it works in small towns. The minute there is an illness or a tragedy, casseroles are delivered, children are carpooled, everyone knows exactly what to do and swings into action. But I am single and my “tribe” is structured differently. They’re not concentrated in one small town. Would they be there for me? As it turns out, my tribe exceeded all expectations. Second, a piece of advice from someone who had less time on this earth than you: Make every minute count. The world we live in is full of work stress and petty grievances and worries about everything from money to how others perceive you. To the extent you can, let it go. Do your best to live in the moment and enjoy it. Take it from me, as long as you have your health, almost any other problem – large or small – can be worked out somehow. I had a little advance warning that the party was ending, but you may not. So enjoy it! Finally, if you wish to honor me in any way, go do something for someone less fortunate than yourself. I was in love with the world and highly engaged in it. I was so incredibly lucky to be born into a happy, stable family, in the United States, in the 20th century. As they, say, I was born on third. And I knew it. But there is poverty and despair everywhere. It’s up to everyone who has been blessed to try and make a difference. It’s easy to be overwhelmed and think nothing you do could possibly have an impact. I say “better to light a candle than curse the darkness”. Plus, you’ll be amazed at how much it enriches your life. I don’t know what I’ll find on “the other side”, but if there is anything resembling a bar, I will be saving a seat for each of you.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 05:06:36 +0000
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