Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it
William Arthur Ward

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InspirEmail No 220 - November 14th, 2011 - Live Backwards
'Inspirational messages to refresh the spirit and boost the emotional bank account'

Live Backwards

Ben's first duty as a new pastor was to conduct a funeral service for Albert, a man who had died in his eighties. Since he didn't know the deceased, he invited members of the congregation to say a few kind words about Albert. No one budged.

'Many of you knew Albert for years,' Ben prompted them. 'Surely someone can say something nice.'

After an uncomfortable pause, a voice from the back of the room said . . . 'Well, his brother was worse.'

If you died tomorrow, what would people say about you?

Would their comments make you proud of the way you lived and the choices you made?

There's an old saying: 'If you want to know how to live your life, think about what you'd like people to say about you after you die and live backwards.'

Thinking about the legacy we want to leave can help us keep our priorities straight. When the end is near, it's not likely any of us will say, 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.' Unfortunately, many of us only begin to realize the value of the time we have after we've frittered much of it away in shallow ruts going nowhere important.

It's hard to think now what will matter later. But doing so can dramatically improve our chances of living a full and meaningful life with few regrets. Knowing how we want to be remembered also allows us to make a strategic plan for our lives. How much wiser would our choices be if we had the wisdom and discipline to regularly ask ourselves whether all the things we do and say are taking us where we want to be at the end?

In a sense, we write our eulogies by the choices we make every day.

Written by Michael Josephson
To learn more about the work of Michael Josephson, please visit . . . Character Counts >>>

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Recipe for forever

Gather all of the ingredients together, so that they are close at hand! Get a clean cloth and wipe the bowl clean of any lingering dust from the past.

Take maturity, respect and friendship, and stir gently.

Add unlimited amounts of compassion and kindness, and mix well.

To this, add caring by the handfuls and fold in trust.

Continue stirring gently, adding listening, honesty, and large amounts of communication.

Slip in some dreams, goals, and firm pieces of keeping promises.

Bake in a home filled with peace, beauty and serenity.

Before you taste the finished product, sprinkle liberally with patience, love, and a touch of spice.

Serve very hot, with imagination on the side.

Author Unknown

- Inspirational Quote -

Please understand my friend, that where you find yourself tomorrow is a function of the positive decisions and actions you take today
Akin A. Awolaja

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