Three years ago I made a post about how I believe funerals should be mandatory for leaders. It's something Rudy Giuliani talks about in his book on leadership.
Anyone can be there when times are good; it takes a leader to show up when times are rough. But as I continue to attend funerals, I'm increasingly convinced that the primary benefactor of a funeral is the leader; not the people he leads.
Maybe it's morbid and weird, but there's something about a funeral that re-calibrates you.
Sometimes funerals can be encouraging. Nobody remembers your small mistakes - the ones you stew about all day - after you're gone.
Sometimes funerals are stimulating. They help us think about what people will remember about us. Will we be remembered for a lasting contribution to the lives of others, or will people only tell funny stories about us? Will it be obvious that people are searching for anecdotal stories to fill the time, or will it be obvious that they've been forced to condense because of the legacy of a life-well-lived?
I know it's a morbid topic, but if you've got half a reason to go to a funeral you really should go.
1 comments:
I used to think that showing up to a wedding or family was for them, but as I get further and further away from the day that I took my wedding vows I see how important it is to hear them being recited again. It sparks in me a little "remember! you promised" even when times are hard.
And as I get closer and closer to my own funeral, when I go to one it reminds me that I want to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant" also even when it's hard to be a faithful servant.
My 2 cents.....random, but mine :-)
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