How to Grow a Life by Writing a Eulogy

There is a hilarious part of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home when Dr. McCoy asks Spock:

Are you telling me that I have to DIE to discuss your insights on Death?

When Todd Goldfarb over at We the Change asked me to write my own Eulogy, my insights on death immediately came to mind. I have seen value in this type of exercise in the past, so I agreed to share the concept with my readers.

In a nutshell, the point behind the exercise is to write the eulogy that would be read about you at your funeral. This is done as a method for mapping out the way that you want to lead the rest of your life.

Unlike goal setting or other similar life planning techniques, when you write your own eulogy, all bets are off because you don’t need to figure out how you are going to lead that kind of life. Rather, you simply write down the type of life that you would want to have lived when all was said and done.

It’s a pretty valuable concept when you think about it, and one that can really open up your mind to what you truly desire in life. I highly recommend that you take the time to do this, and either share it on your own site, or just keep it to yourself.

After all, none of us are getting out of life alive, so why not put together a guideline that takes us on a joyous journey to the grave?

Aaron Potts – Someone who created life in His image

Often when eulogies are read, the speaker starts out by saying something about ‘Those of us who knew him well…’.

In the case of Aaron Potts, however, those words are all but meaningless. As we all know, it didn’t take very much time at all to learn who he was, and what he was about.

Aaron was the kind of person that would drag you kicking and screaming out of the corner at a party just to make sure that you were mingling and having a good time.

Aaron was the kind of person who would know you for 5 minutes and already be advising you on ways to live a happier, more fulfilled life.

He was the type of person who would make you angry because he wouldn’t accept your excuses about why your life was anything less than wonderful.

He was the type of person who would laugh at his own mistakes, but then turn around and laugh at you when you make a mistake. Then, you could both laugh together, and not get upset about those momentary mis-steps that happen to all of us in life.

Aaron didn’t believe in taking life too seriously, and a day never went by when he didn’t smile, laugh, and give conscious thought to the fact that this day – this very day – was a gift, and that his job was to show gratitude for that gift by enjoying that day to the fullest.

Aaron gave selflessly of himself to others, although he would be the first one to admit that selflessness itself was an act of selfishness. He would say that the act of giving to others is something that we do because we choose to. We do it because we like how it makes us feel.

He would do anything to help others out, not asking for anything in return other than the fact that our lives become a happier place to be as a result of his help.

Aaron wanted people to be happy, and he wanted people to have FUN in life. He believed that nothing was permanent, and that our existence here on the 3-dimensional plane was brief, so why not make the most of it and have a good time while we were here?

Aaron did not go in much for rules and regulations, although at the same time he lived his life by a strict set of guidelines. They included such important concepts as compassion, responsibility, discipline, integrity, and love.

He would just as soon completely ignore some stupid rule from society as he would jump in front of a bullet to save the life of someone that he cared about. His values and his morals were steeped in concepts such as the Greater Good, rather than the momentary facts of any given situation.

In short, Aaron believed in giving, and that by giving freely of ourselves, the world at large would in turn give back to us; that this entire circle of life would help to grow the universal collective consciousness to which all of us eventually return.

Aaron did not believe in, nor fear death, and if he were here he would ask that none of us grieve for him. According to Aaron’s beliefs, he is not dead, but has simply gone back to the universal consciousness to share what he learned while he was here, and to get his next assignment.

In fact, he may already be back among us, living now in a different incarnation that will allow him to learn again, to give back again, and to again help to evolve our very existence.

Aaron would miss those of us that he was close with.

Aaron would miss the sound of the ocean, the feel of the waves, and the view of the mountains.

Aaron would miss physically and emotionally wrapping his love around his friends and family.

However, in the end, Aaron would ask that we not grieve, but rather that we rejoice for him. He is now able to share all that he learned while he was here among us. And he would have only one thing to say to all of us now:

Thank you. Thank you all.