Life before death
There are various theories floating around on how best to live a “good” life. One that I have heard/read several times is to think about what you would want people to say about you when you die. As morbid as it sounds, it is actually a little difficult to sit through a memorial for someone else, listening to tributes on the wonderful things this person did or the ways they touched others’ lives, without thinking about what would be said about you.
Although one should be living one’s life to please oneself (and God, if that is your belief system) rather than others, it is often in death that people’s lives are most examined. No matter the circumstances of your death, you will live on in the memory of those you touched, be they friends, family, or colleagues. And those memories will be based on the way you lived your life, the good deeds you did, the help you gave, the love you shared.
So it is perhaps a useful approach, if you can do it without freaking out about dying. Imagine how you would wish to be remembered, what kind of person would you wish to be described as, what people would you hope to have touched in the course of your life.
Of course, the key to making this really useful is to act upon the ideas you come up with. Do the things you want to be remembered for. Become the person you want people to miss. Share your life with the people you want to have helped. Your life will end up being much richer and fuller - and best of all, you will get to see it as it happens.
Right now I am feeling kindatired (yawn)...