What will they remember?

I went to a memorial service for Bob Schultz yesterday and can’t stop thinking about many of the things I heard said by hundreds of people who showed up to honor this man.

I’m not going to list what was said or highlight moments. You really had to be there to get the gist of what was being said.

My insight is this: I used to think about what people might say about me at my memorial service. I’ve even heard people say to live your life keeping that in mind. I disagree. I don’t think Bob lived his life that way. If you live caring about what others think of you, you miss the point of why we’re here.

Bob served people because he knew who he was and what his purpose in life was all about. He latched on to each moment, just long enough to impact people and then moved on to the next appointment, the next instance the new assignment. In the process he never forgot those who came before but was always ready for those he was about to bump into. Bob didn’t look at people as a project. Too many people “take on” people and that attitude can overshadow the true spirit of humility.

Our world loves, almost worships achievement. What we did? What we think we did? And whom we did it for. What if none of that matters, really? What if all that burns up when you die and counts for absolutely nothing? What if the only thing that matters is the silent, quiet, moments of service that accidentally or purposely happened in life? You know the moments that no one else sees.

I like the way Bob lived his life. I don’t think he would care what people said about him at his memorial service. That’s not the reason he lived his life the way he did. Service, to Bob, was much more than a line on a resume or a story to drop into a conversation to impress those on the receiving end. Service meant quietly doing for others what you would have them do for you.

No applause, no position, no gain.

What will they say at my funeral? I don’t care what “They” say.