Live how you want to be remembered

Laura M. Levering / Northwest Guardian

A quote my husband recently put on his Facebook page sent me into a deeper thought than I had already been.

“Death is a journey we all must take,” he posted. Not exactly a revelation, but amid recent personal events, it suddenly seemed like one.

A journey ... I think of death as more of an event — an event that everyone experiences once. Life, on the other hand, is a journey.

Combined with my husband’s post are a few recent events that have me thinking about my own life’s journey and how I hope others will remember me upon its end.

Two weeks ago I caught a closer glimpse into one friend’s journey. I, along with about 800 people, walked to raise money for breast cancer patients and survivors. My friend is a breast cancer survivor who is now battling liver cancer and doing it with indescribable courage and fortitude. Her determination to fight and rid her body of cancer is awe-inspiring and reminds me of how precious life’s journey is. Because of her strength, I am confident her journey will continue for many years ... And when it does end, she will leave behind an incredible legacy for her children and those who knew her.

Last week I learned that a friend and fellow Army spouse lost her husband to the war in Afghanistan. The news traveled very quickly, as it often does when you’re tuned in to social networking sites. Within moments of logging into Facebook that night, my fears and suspicions were confirmed. I was not close to the fallen hero, but his Family had attended the same church and we had the same close circle of friends. From those who adored him most to those whose paths he merely crossed, everyone seems deeply affected by his death — but even more so by his 34-year journey. He left behind his wife, four sons and numerous others who love him and who for years to come will exchange fond memories of his life.

October 14 was the two-year anniversary of my dad’s passing. News of his death rocked my world, to say the least. To this day I struggle with not being able to pick up the phone to hear one of his infamous funny greetings or lame jokes. His journey ended at the young age of 54, but along the way he had touched more lives than any of us realized until the day came that we had to say “goodbye.”

My father was hardly a perfect man. He had his struggles just like anybody else — some of which were very serious and were ultimately what ended his journey so soon. But we never had reason to doubt that he loved his Family with every fiber in his body. He taught me how to forgive, love big and to never take life too seriously. (I’m still working on that last part).

How do you want others to remember you? Does your day-to-day life mirror how you want to be remembered when your journey is through? A time will come when your own family, friends, and perhaps people you’ve never met will gather to reflect on your life.

Treat others as you wish to be treated. Love as though you have never been hurt before. Dance like no one is watching. Live like you were dying. To some, they are mere words or at best clichés. To me, they are convictions. My journey’s end may be today or it could come decades from now. When it does, I hope others will remember me in a way that will make my Family proud.