This afternoon, I walked by an office suite that used to be the office of a woman who passed away earlier this year after a battle with cancer–a battle that very few in the office building knew she was facing. She elected not to do chemo or radiation, so to those of us not in the know, there was no reason to suspect she was sick. I didn’t know her very well, but every time we’d pass each other in the hallway, we’d say hello, ask how each other was doing, and then go on with our day. Each time, she would have a big smile on her face, and positive energy radiated from her. She was a positive force in the office building. I realized today that it was probably the first time I thought about her since I found out she passed away, despite walking by her old office every day. I first felt bad that I hadn’t thought of her for months; even though we weren’t close, I still felt bad that I hadn’t thought about someone that I would see briefly most days when I was in the office building. I then felt a little sad to realize that eventually (hopefully a very long time) I’ll be that guy in the office building that passed away and wasn’t thought about for months, or possibly ever again, by some people. Eventually, we will all transition from this life. We’ll be remembered by friends and family, professional acquaintances, and potentially supporters if we ever shared anything with the world, but with time, it’ll just be our close friends and family that will continue to think of and remember us. And eventually, no one will think of us because those close friends and family will also pass away, taking those memories with them. Don’t worry, this Note isn’t meant to be a downer. While yes, it’s sad or scary to know that one day there will be few memories of us, I think it’s also a freeing understanding to have. If eventually we won’t be remembered by the world, why not spend the time we have here doing what we want and being the person we were created to be? If you’re not going to be remembered, you might as well not be remembered being the authentic version of your Self and being the best version of your Self for the few who will remember you the longest!! JC |
I'm on a mission to help more people find and live their authentic life. Check out my Daily Notes where I write a short note each day about the connection of spirit, mind, body and money on the Pursuit of your authentic life.
“Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” - Mary Oliver “Tell about it.” I don’t think enough people share their stories, which are full of experiences, lessons, and insights that might benefit others. What if your experience, good or bad, could help someone else learn something important sooner than they would have without hearing from you? There are many ways to share your story--blog, audio, photography, music, or even just mentorship. It can be...
“Every moment is a new beginning.” - Elie Wiesel If there are things in your life that you are not aligned with your authentic Self, you have the ability to change them. As Wiesel shares with us, every moment is an opportunity to change the direction of your Pursuit. You can choose to use these new beginnings as an opportunity to move closer to your authentic life. Or, you can choose to use these new beginnings as an opportunity to keep heading down the same path you’re on and living a life...
I hope your summer is off to a great start. It's been busy for us, but this past week we got a short reprieve as Leo's soccer season ended last week and Roman's summer basketball is in between high school ball and the return of AAU. I used the extra time to finish writing my portion of a collaborative book from The AGC™ (the community for financial advisors I co-founded), which included not only my own chapter but also writing a narrative voice to connect the various sections of the book....