Life really is short.
Lets be honest. We will all be dead soon.
Every week, I take a few minutes to read the eulogy that I wrote for myself.
Yes, my eulogy. That piece of paper somebody will stand up and read when I am gone.
It’s been incredibly refreshing to see all the extra junk in my life stripped away and focus on what is truly important.
Steve Jobs said it so very well
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.
Almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet, death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it, and that is how it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It’s life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”
So if you don’t mind I would like to share my eulogy with you.
It is still quite a work in progress, so go easy on it, but you can get the idea of what I am shooting for.
The Eulogy of Dave Craige
Dave Craige has died. He had a great run. He lived life to the fullest. We hope that He will be going on to go dirt biking in the green pastures of heaven. He was known for a few things. Here are ten of the most important.
Solid : Dave was simply a solid guy. He was solid in his love for people. He was steadfast in his focus on his life’s work. He was consistent, dependable and strong.
Love : He was known for love and kindness. He was kind and loving to everyone. He always tried to smile at everyone he met. His personality was strong willed but he worked hard to be kind. He loved everyone as best as he could, as unconditionally as he could. Love and compassion were central tenants in his life.
Wife : He absolutely cherished his bride. She was one of the most important choices that he ever made. He sacrificed all for her. He laid down his single hood and freedom and gave her a lifetime of deep love. They build up an incredibly strong marriage. They endured large challenges together. He fought back against the failures he had seen in his family and brick by brick built a solid marriage. They went on wonderful adventures. They laughed and laughed and laughed. He deeply loved her in a wabi sabi way.
Family : He absolutely loved and cherished his children. He said they were the “best things that I ever helped create”. He spent extra time with them and patiently helped them grow. He always tried to put them before his work. He loved his two sisters. He loved his Dad and his Mother. He was loving and kind to his stepsister Gracie. He loved his step-mom Donna and he loved Lydia his niece.
Provider : He focused and provided well for his family. He worked diligently to make enough money and gave his family a nice safe place to live. He was the leader of his family spiritually, physically, materially.
Loyal friend : Dave was known for being a loyal and kind friend. He was always good to keep in touch with others. He would frequently reach out to people.
Humor : Dave loved comedy. He loved funny pictures, jokes, movies. Everything that had a light side to it. He shared many jokes with his friend Bryan. He laughed at himself frequently.
Easy going : Dave was a first born. But he made a decision to be easygoing. He let things slide. He fully accepted people as they are. He worked to love people without conditions.
Giving: Dave always tried to find opportunities to give. He worked to help strengthen marriages and families in his mens group JoeStrong. He was generous with his money like his friend Brandon showed him. He worked to help business grow in his entrepreneurship group The Bunker.
Fun : Dave loved fun. He loved his dirt bike and his skateboard. He loved to dance. He loved travel, loved to meet interesting people. He bribed traffic cops, skydived out of helicopters and was almost thrown in jail in Mexico.
A 4 Minute Challenge
My challenge to you:
Take 4 minutes: Take a piece of paper and write down your eulogy. What do you want to be known for? What are the most important aspects of your life. What really matters?
If you want you can even share it with us at IdealDay.net where we work to encourage each other on focusing on what we really want out of life.
Feel free to remix my eulogy and make yours even better. I still have lots of work to do on my version. If you want you could even reread your eulogy from time to time. Reading mine has helped me focus every morning.
And may you have a good day today, focused on the most important things in your life. ☺