by Michelle A. Homme 2015 ©
Life is short. We all know that, but how many of us actually understand it? We each have “x” amount of time that we are here – we just don’t know how many minutes or days are captured in “x”. Chances are, we will all leave something left undone, not said words we should have said, and wished we had spent more time with our loved ones.
Some of us set out to get through life while others with little to no fanfare while others set out to do something newsworthy and important.
Recently, a man from North Dakota made news by writing his own obituary that only included two words besides his name – “Doug died” and that was the way the news of his death was shared in his local paper. Although it may have seemed insignificant and minor, the lack of words listed in his obituary actually brought quite a bit of attention from other news sources. In fact, here is a clip from a video from USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/07/02/doug-died-douglas-legler-obituary/29619781/) detailing his story in a few more words. This man was simple, very humble, and apparently wanted to have the last laugh.
He got it.
But that started me thinking…this man had lived for 85 years and all we knew about him was that he was no longer here. I know he had at least one daughter just from the video, but there was so much that was left untold, hidden as if held in a mystery somewhere in North Dakota. I began to have questions like, “What did he do for a living?” “Was he always quick witted?” “Are any of his children like him?”
And all I knew about him was that he died.
I also wondered what they would say about him at his funeral. Would the eulogy be just as short? Would the family even bother printing a program if there was no information in it?
The best thing about Doug is that he was one step ahead of the rest of us – he looked at life and lived it – on his terms. He died that way, so I can only assume he lived the same way.
But how many of us live in the present? Living life to the fullest, every single day?
Chances are, not many. We are in such a state of getting somewhere that we forget where we are. Our lives are hectic and full of chaos that we overlook the time that really matters most – how living our BEST lives matters now and why that is what people will remember long after we are gone.
Every day that we give more just because we can, we write our legacy. Every chance we take, we write our legacy. Every moment was cherish, we write our legacy. Every word we say stains our hearts for years to come, leaving a legacy.
Life is short and leaving a legacy begins with how we live our lives now. Right now. Today. Not tomorrow.
So ask yourself a few questions: How do you want to be remembered? What will people say about how you impacted their lives? What memories will they cherish and hold dear? Did you think more of others than you thought of yourself? Did you love so deeply that it never ran out? Did you stand up for what’s right, even if it meant you stood alone? Were you passionate about a cause for justice or humanity? Were you courageous in pursuing your dream? Were you humble, unassuming, thoughtful, and generous with your talents and time?
Writing your legacy does not require any additional work from you…all it asks is that you live your best life. The one filled with no regrets, no excuses, and no complaints. The only question is, “When will you start?”
Maybe we could all take a lesson from Doug Legler…because when it is all said and done, people will know what you did with your time here. Our obituaries should have just two words…maybe mine will simply read, “I lived.”
Michelle A. Homme is a published author and energetic speaker, bringing her personal experiences, life-oriented stories, and inspirational message to everyone she meets. She has a degree in Political Science and is married with three sons. Her women empowerment group, The G.I.F.T.™ has 75 members and is heading into its 4th year and has been blogging about life and the change she has seen in it for over five and a half years. Michelle also writes quotes about life, change, and love and is nearing the completion of releasing her podcast as well. In addition, she will start writing her second book this fall. She will get you to think about where you are and where you want to be and how looking at life a little differently can make all the difference. For more information, you can find her at www.constantchangetoday.com.
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