by Steve Goodier
One woman announced, "I intend to live forever! So far so
good...." But the length of our lives is not the real issue; it's the quality
and meaning that matter. Not the years in a life, but the life in the years.
When asked what he wanted to be remembered for when his life was
over, Leo Buscaglia replied, "I want to be remembered as somebody who lived life
fully and with passion. I've been asked to write my epitaph and I have always
thought that the perfect one for my tombstone would be, 'Here lies Leo who died
living.'"
I want to die living. And I want to be remembered as one who
lived with purpose, joy and verve. I want to spend my time learning what goes
into a whole and happy life, then building that life the best I can.
Sociologist Tony Campolo told about a study in which fifty
people over the age of 90 were asked to reflect upon their lives. "If you had it
to do over again," they were asked, "what would you do differently?" Though
there were many answers, three responses dominated. Here they are:
First, many respondents answered, "I would reflect more." Do you
ever feel that too much time is spent in "doing" and not enough spent thinking
about what you are doing and why you are doing it?
Second, they said, "I would risk more." Do you think that
important opportunities either have been or might be forfeited because of your
fear to take a necessary risk?
Finally, they said, "I would do more things that would live on
after I died." Do you feel that you are immersed in something bigger and more
enduring than your own existence?
Reflect more. Risk more. Leave a legacy. These are what our
elders say they would do the second time around.
But why wait for a second time around? Every new day is a second
chance! Reflect more today -- it will reveal to you what is truly important.
Risk more today -- take a chance on making that dream come alive. Get involved
with something which makes a difference in this world -- and a beautiful legacy
is what you will leave behind.
Like Leo Buscaglia, I want to live fully and with passion. And
if all my plans don't work out as I had hoped, I'm still betting that I will
have more fun!
Steve Goodier
Publisher@LifeSupportSystem.com is a professional speaker, consultant and
author of numerous books. Visit his site for more information, or to sign up
for his FREE newsletter of Life, Love and Laughter at http://LifeSupportSystem.com.