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Category: Death

Singular Lines and Snapshots Memories

Published on May 14, 2023

“He was a good man; he lived a good life.”

…Was said to me by a friend in regards to his father who reached the end of his life.

And I couldn’t help but think about how, after everything—after the millions of minutes lived and experienced in this lifetime—people will generally remember us in singular lines and snapshot memories.

Which is why before you’ve done everything you’ll ever be able to do (a sobering thought), you should consider what you would most like people to say and remember about you now… and live more often from that place so you don’t end up authoring something you later regret.

Inner work prompt: What do you hope people will say about you after you pass? Can you boil it down to one line?

Undeniable Luck

Published on January 1, 2023

I can think back to several times in my life when I could’ve easily died.

  • Times when I was really sick
  • Times when I acted recklessly
  • Times when I’ve been in the path of others who were acting recklessly

And I think about all the proud things I’ve done since those days.

And I think about all of the beautiful interactions I’ve had with others since those days.

And I think about how much progress I’ve made on my path towards self-actualization since those days.

And all of this reminds me that luck is undeniably a part of my life’s equation.

Because I think of the countless others… people whom I knew personally… people who were younger than I… people who were stronger than I… people who acted less recklessly than I… people who were wholesome, good-hearted people… people who were met with just one thread of bad luck…

…And it was there that it all ended for them.

And I think about how this could’ve been me 10, 20, 30 years ago.

And I think about how much I would’ve missed if it had been.

And I think about how there’s no guarantee which way luck goes for any of us moving forward.

And it is with this in mind, that I do my damn best to make sure I don’t waste a single one of these gifts that are bundled up in moments that others would’ve given literally ANYTHING for.

…And I hope, with this in mind, you might do the same, too.

P.s. In case you missed it, you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.

The Space Between A Line And 66 Hours

Published on October 18, 2022

Seth Godin pointed out that even the longest biography is only 66 hours on audio… which means the author has to leave out almost everything.

What’s more, is that when it comes time for people to reflect on you and your life, they will likely summarize who you were and what you stood for in a line or two.

That’s right… decades and decades of life… in a mere line of words.

…Nobody is reading a 66 hour biography at a remembrance of your life.

This space, between a line and 66 hours of audio, is the space you have to fill with legacy.

Those who plug their ears and “la-la-la” this thought are usually the ones who end up with regrets and a “mismatched” legacy.

Those who do the hard work of picking out their “line or two” now and use it as a guidepost for the rest of their life… are usually the ones who live lives that stand out—the kind that are deliberate, aligned, and inspiring.

Ask yourself: What do you hope people would say about you? What do you hope they would write? What do you want to be remembered for in one breath of words?

Now is the time to figure it out—while you’re alive and still have a say. Pick your legacy, embody it, and let your actions paint the picture of your legacy that’ll inspire thousands of words to follow. Live your masterpiece life.

P.s. Want to read more on legacy? Read my personal collection of 100+ quotes and resources on legacy here.

Fate vs. Legacy

Published on May 28, 2022

Fate is what results when life decides for you.

Legacy is what results when you decide your life.

Missed [Poem]

Published on March 21, 2022 
Be someone who’s missed
They said

So I spent my life
Collecting notifications
From distant platforms
To prove to myself
That people think of me

I thought
But something was missed

Life In A Memory (Or Two)

Published on February 10, 2022

One day we’ll just be memories.

Scattered amongst the brains of the world.

Act today the way you want to be remembered in those brains.

For when it comes down to it, that’s how your whole life will be summarized.

Within the confines of just a few memories.

From just a few brains who contain the most potent ones.

And today could be the day that you leave the gift of a potent memory (or two) behind.

It certainly couldn’t hurt to act like it anyway.

Honoring Those Who Have Passed

Published on May 31, 2021

What’s the best way to honor those who have passed?

By keeping them alive in our thoughts and stories.

For at the end of life, isn’t that what we all want? To be remembered?

And not just as a person who died. But, remembered for the person we were when we were alive. The things we’d say. The emotions we’d show. The quirky things we’d do. The situations we’d speak up against. The values we’d relentlessly stand by. These are the things that bring a person to life after they, or we, have passed.

When someone passes, it can be hard to replay all of these things in our head. Painful emotional responses may erupt unwillingly which might makes us avoid, suppress, and/or distract ourselves from remembering. But, we mustn’t.

We must carefully replay the image of our loved one’s life in our mind and deeply embody the parts that impacted us. And then, as the only bearer of that part of their legacy from our own unique perspective, we must carefully replay that image for others so that they, too, can be impacted.

With this, I leave you with five thoughts: (1) Who do you honor in your life? (2) How do you honor them? (3) Who’s going to honor your life? (4) What parts of your life do you want people to embody the most? (5) How can you best embody those parts of your life while you’re still here?