This is a sweet poem given to me by my father. I hope you catch the point of it.
By the way I LOVE this. That is why I want to share it with you.
"-Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises,no minuets,hours, or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you own or what you were owed. Your grudges,resentments,frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your hopes,ambitions,plans and to-do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It wont matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end. It wont matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant. So what will matter?
How will the value of your days be measured? What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave. What will matter is not your success but your significance. What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.What will matter is every act of integrity,compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched,empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example. What will matter is not your competence but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone. What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what. Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters."
(Michael Josephson,"What Will Matter?",L.A.:Josephson Institute of Ethics,2003.)
Thanks Elder! This is so true. I think that we are all more of an influence on others than we think. This reminds me of my favorite scripture.
ReplyDeleteAlma 29:9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.
Great quote. I remember something I gave to one of my high school teachers. It said they may not remember what you taught, but they will remember how you made them feel. Great reminder to focus on the things that really matter, like spending time with our families.
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome poem. Sometimes we wonder if we ever really do any good, so in case you were wondering, you helped me to be a better missionary through your example and all your little "competitions". I will forever be grateful for all your hard work. Thanks for having your heart in it. :)
ReplyDeleteI like this. :-)
ReplyDelete-Jessica