They have to chisel something.

This was the answer to a question I posed to one of my customers one day at the bar. He had just returned from a funeral and was lamenting that the preacher had done such a good job of covering up this man's mistakes and transgressions he thought he was at the wrong service. "Why would he do that?" was the question. And I answered my own question for him. "All these people are here to listen to him, they already dug the hole and they have to chisel something." was the full response. When it's all done, what will they chisel?


Now the answer for me is I could care less because I'm room temperature and toes up by then. But what they chisel may actually reflect what I do while I am here. Same goes for all of us I suppose. For years I was so proud of how many hours I could work. I still am. But do I want it to say "He outworked almost everybody still living"? That's sort of depressing. "He was a great employee"? That's worse. Now I'm dead and not even the boss. What if they told the truth? Tough love style. "He sacrificed most of the important things in his life because winning and getting ahead was what drove him. He missed birthdays, anniversary's, baby showers and funerals all for work." How grim is that? Work over everything else. Well, the good news is that most of us get a chance to change the chiseled words first.
That is what truth does for you. It slaps you right in the face. It stings too. Now the next question I have to answer is when will I change? When will the price I have gladly paid my whole life become too high? How many more events that really make life worth living will I continue to miss? And for what? To be the best! The best what? Husband? Obviously being on my third marriage would dispel that. Father? I don't know. My kids are great and have manners and do well in school but maybe that's because I wasn't there to screw them up. Businessman? Two bankruptcies and a couple of other business failures indicate I may not be Donald Trump.
Please don't think this is some sort of pity party. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is more about introspection. I provided for my family and that is what my job is. But did I have to keep trying to up the ante too much? I don't know, but I do know we get a chance to change. To change the words that are chiseled after we have taken leave. To leave a legacy not of hours worked but of lives that were changed. We all want to hear "job well done my faithful servant" but I would like to have a nice word or two carved out for my boys to see as well.

Till next.......