Ready or not, some day my Life will end.

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

No more cell phones or calls and mail to be returned.

Every thing I will have collected, be it treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

My wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what I owned or what I was owed.

My grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.

So will my hopes, ambitions, plans, and To Do List: All will expire with me.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important to me, will fade away.

It won't matter where I was born or what side of the tracks have I lived.

It won't matter if I rented, or owned a house or lived on a boat.

It won't matter whether I was clever, beautiful or brilliant.

My gender, skin color, ethnicity will be irrelevant.

So what WILL matter?

What will be the measure of my days,weeks and years passed?

How will my life be valued?

What will matter is not what I bought, but what I have chosen to build.

Not what I received, but what I have shared and given you.

What will matter is not the level of my success, but my significance.

What will matter is not what I learned, but what I have taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage and sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate from my example.

What will matter is not my competence, but my integrity and character; my true grit.

What will matter is not how many people I have known,rich or poor,
But how many will feel a lasting loss when I am gone.

What will matter are not my faded memories,
But the memories of those who knew and have loved me.

What will matter is how long I will be remembered, by whom, and for a
kaleidoscope of reasons, like a brilliant rainbow.

Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.

It's not a matter of circumstance.

It is one made of choice; one of my own choosing.

And in so doing, I dance and write my name with Destiny.

I Choose to live a life that matters.
*********


I dedicate this to everyone who struggles with life altering decisions,
and tough choices.

I also dedicate this to my brother in law,Joe Gallaro, whom I have known since age 15, & we both shared the same birthday of July 16. Joe passed away this past April, and I missed him this birthday. I know I was not alone, for everyone he came upon,loved him.He struggled the last 2 yrs of his life with Diabetes & heart problems. This was as fitting a Tribute I could write for him.

I also now dedicate this to my Mom, Jennie. She lived until 98! Ninety Eight years of life, evolving as a woman, wife and mother. Over the years she became my confidant and closest friend. As she aged- she maintained strength and quality of her life- until this past year, when her excellent health dwindled quickly. Nothing was better than sharing a cold beer and making my mother laugh out loud. I take comfort in that she always said I was good company, or that I was funny, or that I was a good Mom. The " MOM" meant a lot coming from her, as she is the one who made me better than I ever expected.

* Hugs & blessings to you all* Donna

Copyright © Donna Maris
All Rights Reserved 2015