It's Your life, you Can have Fun if you Want To

Do you ever think about what sort of legacy you will leave after you die? How will you be remembered?

Personally, it is not something I am preoccupied with thinking about but it is something I am certain we, at some point in our life, contemplate. Specifically, what imprint will our life leave in the world and will anyone remember us 10, 20, 30 or more years from now. How does that make you feel? Is being remembered far into the future about ego?

I remember saying to a friend after her dad died that she ought to write his obituary and place it a major newspaper. She asked me why I thought that was important. To which I replied from an historical perspective, if in the future someone were curious about her family it would serve as a good starting place to begin their research. It is a record of when and where he was born, his parents, his children and grandchildren, his accomplishments, and how he died. In the end, I am not sure what she decided.

So, for historical reasons you may want to be remembered for your accomplishments and legacy to your decedents. But does this really matter? In my opinion, indeed it does. I just got word that a former colleague recently died. Reading his obituary demonstrates the importance of a good obituary. His obit is filled with so much information. What I remember about him was his absolute love of classical music . RIP Stewart Raby.

It occurred to me whilst pondering life, death, remembrance, that the meaning of life is to lived life to the fullest, and to drink greedily from life's fountain of possibilities. Do something that makes a positive difference in your life, and do it often. It does not have to be a grand gesture. For example, do you remember the last time you really had some fun, had a belly laugh, a laughed that made you cry, or was overwhelmed by the beauty of the setting sun?


When my son was younger about 3 or 4 years old he would often say “I am so happy, I am going to remember this day forever.” When was the last time you rolled around on the floor with shredded paper, as he is doing in this picture?













Think of how amazing your life could be if everyday was a day to be forever remembered!

Happiness - What is it?

Motivated by Gretchen's 'Happiness Project' I decided to reflect on this notion of happiness.

Happiness has different meanings for people. Thinking on this topic, I am struck by a memory of a workshop I facilitated for Indigenous women of the Americas in the Peruvian jungle. One evening, sitting by the fire, the women were talking about their communities and how difficult it was for them to make it to the workshop. They spoke about the hardships they are faced with all through laughter and beaming as they spoke about their children. Earlier that day, I teased that I should wear a t-shirt that said, “I’d Rather be a Tourist” because clearly the facilities in the jungle are not the Hilton. Sitting among the women I felt ashamed for having that thought, even in jest.

As I read some of Gretchen’s 12 commandments to becoming happier, I got that most of the points, although universal, really are for people in developed countries whose concerns don't have to include the basics of survival. As an example I will use Gretchen's list, because I like it. The Peruvian example comes from one of the women at the the workshop.

American / Peruvian
1. Be yourself / 1. Be strong
2. Let it go. / 2. Be thankful with what you have
3. Act the way I want to feel. / 3. Accept that you can’t put yourself first
4. Do it now. / 4. Recognize your opportunities
5. Be polite and be fair. / 5. Be respectful but strong
6. Enjoy the process. / 6. Live in the moment / let each moment follow
7. Spend out. / 7. Treasure what you have
8. Identify the problem. / 8. Identify the solutions
9. Lighten up. / 9. Laugh, and laugh some more
10. Do what ought to be done. / 10. Do what can be done
11. No calculation. / 11. Appraise risks
12. There is only love. / 12. There is only one ‘you’

Happiness is relative, fleeting, but necessary for our body's emotional and spiritual well-being no matter who we are. The important thing to remember is that pure happiness lives within each of us.