Tuesday, September 16, 2008

What Will You Be Remembered For?

On Saturday we went to a memorial service and luncheon for Joe's uncle who passed away. He was not an old man, only mid-60's, but he had been dealing with Parkinsons and Diabetes, not to mention some tough personal issues such as being a victim of identity theft, and some other things.

At the luncheon, people were getting up and telling stories and things that they remembered about him. The stories and memories people shared were not about what he did for a living or big things he accomplished in life, or anything like that. The main things that repeatedly got brought up were little things he had done to help family and neighbors, how he made sure to be at family events, and his laugh. A niece of his told about remembering when he and his wife would come play cards with her parents when she was a kid, and she always loved to hear him laughing in the other room. It was a memory and comforting thing that she had always carried with her even now into adulthood. Several others mentioned his laugh as well, in various stories and thoughts and memories. He himself probably never knew that his laugh meant anything to anyone, and he probably never thought that it would be brought up and talked about repeatedly at his funeral either. Isn't it funny how something as simple as your laugh can touch so many people and you never even know it? Kinda makes you stop and wonder...what will you be remembered for?

2 comments:

Uisce said...

I think about that sometimes... what if something happened to the real life me? nobody would ever know! :/

Peggy said...

What a powerful post Courtney! although, this is a subject I fear most:) I am so afraid something will happen to me and I will leave my kids behind. I wonder what I would be remembered for? Hopefully good things:)