Your Funeral Speech
A few years ago I wrote my funeral speech.
I wrote one as if I were my parents. One as if I were my siblings. One as if I were my coaches. And one as if I were my teammates.
I wrote my funeral speech not because it was time… but because it was time to face the reality of that day- and what I hoped each one of those people would say about me.
I think it’s safe to say- my life was changed from that moment on.
Because you don’t come face to face with the reality of who you are and who the world sees you to be…. and come out on the other side the same person. You don’t come to acceptance with your humanness and your mortality, without realizing how much it matters.
A few years ago I wrote my funeral speeches from my family, friends, coaches and teammates and I wrote what I hoped they'd say. I wrote what I hoped they saw in me. I wrote what I hoped they learned from me. What I hoped their lives were better for because of me. I wrote about the good and the love I hoped they received from me.
And I honestly think about it often.
I think about this exercise because it reminds me of the bigger picture. When I get caught up in the small things of here and now- my writing, my job, what I’m doing with my life… I come back to it.
Because the reality is, when all those things are gone… all that is going to be left is-- who I was.
And how the person I chose to be, affected the lives around me.
Those letters gave me a purpose. A purpose I didn’t really see before I wrote them. A purpose of being loved, not liked. A purpose of being relentlessly committed to my relationships- not in an instagram shoutout kind of way… but the kind of way that will never touch a social media platform and words will never truly do justice. A purpose of whole-heartedly being the love I hope to see in the world— not just talking or typing about it. A purpose of living life to honor my blessings. Authentically communicate what is on my heart. A life of finding a way, a life of leadership, and a life FULL of meaning.
Those letters gave me purpose and I think about them often.
In 5 years who do I want to say I was? 10? 20?
Because those years are going to pass no matter what. And one day the end is going to come and my letters won’t just be an exercise anymore- they’re going to be real.
It’s going to be a real moment.
A real gathering.
With real people…
and real speeches.
And I just want to make sure that I leave nothing to chance about who is going to show up… and what they will say.
This post is in honor of Michelle Bolt & her 20th year coaching. I can only hope people stop and run, without question, to stand next to my side- the way your players run to stand next to yours.
I guess it kinda just mirrors the way you stand next to ours.
Thank you for lighting the way. <3