Have you ever wondered what others would say about you at your funeral or how you would be remembered? For many of us, we envision, or at least hope for, praise and honor for all of our life’s accomplishments and proudest moments. We hope for kind words to be said about our character and values. I imagine we also hope to leave a powerful legacy for future generations.
Oftentimes, obituaries are delivered by those who knew you best. Naturally, they are recalling your life from their perspective and experience with you, however they can’t possibly know everything there is to know, nor should they be expected to. Depending on the person and relationship, there may even be details recalled about you that you consider insignificant or undesirable.
What if you wrote your own obituary to make sure that everything you consider to be worthy about you was actually shared on your behalf? Can you imagine how encouraged your loved ones would be to ‘hear’ from you in your own words after you’ve left them? What would you say to them during this time? What lasting impressions would you make with your words? What special mentions would you make and to whom? How can you ensure that your departure leaves a lasting impact by the words you leave behind?
Sure, some may find that writing their obituary is silly and a waste of time. The thing is, something is going to be said about you at your memorial. In fact, many things will likely be said about you. Why not make sure that you have a say as well? After all, it will be your life everyone is talking about.
Writing your own obituary may not be a common practice, but it should be. Can you imagine how delighted all those in attendance will be to hear from you at your own memorial? One of the most difficult things for people to do after they’ve lost a loved one is to find peace and comfort. By taking the time to ‘speak’ words of encouragement ahead of time, you are equipping your loved ones with a permanent source of strength and encouragement that they can refer to over and over again.
What will your last and remaining words be? You get the gift of making that decision today.