Cup of Inspiration

Today, November 2^nd, is Plan Your Epitaph Day. This is a chance for us to reflect on how we want to be remembered.

Two things are certain in life: death and taxes. While we have a good idea of what we’ll be paying in taxes each year, we never know when death will arrive. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

If something tragic should happen to you today, how would you want your family and friends to remember you? What would be important to them? What precious memories would you want people to share about you at the memorial service?

While people often worry about their monetary worth, with death this becomes pointless. One person dies with several homes in their name, another person dies with merely a rental agreement to a small apartment, but both individuals face end of life. The amount of owned property, or lack of it, will not do anything to change that fact.

A year after your death, will people be talking about how high up the corporate ladder you had gone? Will they be talking about how many cars you owned, and how often you could afford to go overseas for vacation? How important are worldly possessions and expensive experiences in life?

A year after your death, will people be talking about how kind you were? Will they reminisce about how often you helped them out? Will they be telling stories about that time you helped at the local food bank? Will family and friends be passing around stories of when you helped with no expectation for reward?

Thinking about how we want to be remembered in the end can give us an idea of where we should go from this point in the present. Before taking that job, buying a house, or making any other major life decision, consider how it fits in with what you value in life. Is it worth the sacrifice of time and money? Are you looking long term, or just focusing on instant gratification?

We don’t know what the future holds for us. We don’t know if we have days, months, or years left in our lifetimes. We should enjoy the present time with our loved ones, but we should still prepare for the future. Today, remember that preparation should go beyond worrying about bank accounts, deeds, and titles. Today we remember what’s important in life, making memorable moments with loved ones, and use our epitaph as a reminder of what direction we should pursue in life.