Dedicated to John-Henry

A life that matters

Whether we are ready or not, one day everything comes to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, no hours, no days.

Everything gathered, whether it was precious or not, will belong to someone else.

Your riches, your fame, your worldly power will crumple to unimportance.

It won’t matter what you possessed or how much was owed to you.

Your hatred, grievances, frustration and jealousies will come to an end.

So also will disappear your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists.

Your gains and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from, or which side of the tracks you lived.

It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.

Whether you were a man or woman, or the color of your skin, will all be unimportant.

What will matter? How will the worth of your days be measured?

It won’t matter what you have bought, but what you have built; not what you have, but what you have given.

Your successes will not matter, but what you meant to this world.

It will not matter what you learned, but rather what you taught others.

Every deed of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched other lives, or encouraged others to follow your example, will matter.

Your capabilities will not matter, but your character will.

It will not matter how many people you have known, but how many people will miss you when you are gone.

Your memories will not matter, but the memories of you will live in those who loved you.

It will matter how long people remember you, who remembers you, and for what you are remembered.

To live a life that matters does not happen per chance.

It is not a question of circumstance, but of choice.

Choose a life that matters.

Live whilst you are alive, for who knows what tomorrow is.

John-Henry lived a life that matters.