October has arrived. As the days grow shorter and cooler, Jack-o-lanterns and calaveras (sugar skulls) will be popping up in anticipation of Halloween and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). For the fun-loving, Halloween is an evening of costumes, tricks, and treats. For the more reverential, ‘All Hallow’s Eve’ precedes the days in the Christian calendar dedicated to honoring the faithful departed. Día de los Muertos—celebrated in Mexico and by many in Texas—welcomes the return of demised friends and family members. These celebrations occur at month’s end and share a common theme: remembering the deceased.
“From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” – The Apostles’ Creed
As social animals, we naturally care what people think of us. This concern lasts from first cry to last breath, and is a motivator for all kinds of behaviors. As a thought experiment, just ask yourself … why do you do the things you do? For perspectives on living a good life and having a good name, I recommend this brief article (here) by the always insightful Morgan Housel of Collaborative Fund.
Time and tide wait for no man. The day will come when we are no longer among the ‘quick’, and each of us will leave behind a legacy of tangibles (money and property) and intangibles (deeds and memories). And for all that we accomplish and accumulate during a lifetime, in the end we keep but one thing: that which lives in the hearts and minds of others … our reputation.
(My related note on legacies can be found here).
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