I would like to ask you all to think of how you would like to be remembered in this life. Are you kind? Funny? Loving? Amazing? Begin with the end in mind........
These are things I have been forced to think about in my own life as I faced the mortality of a friend. What will be said at your funeral? What will be said at mine? Will they say....'she was just an average person who tried really hard and will be missed'.....Or will they say 'she was generous, thoughtful, caring, wonderful....' For me, I don't think there would be very many people standing up to say what a incredible person I was......and this troubles me. Going through this life, just existing.....grinding through it all, wishing for the day to be done---this is not living people!!! But many days, this is how I live. Perhaps it is time for a change.
This profound and somewhat dreary thinking is based on the life of my friend and former co-worker Chad Goklani. He lead what I considered an amazing life. He was the lead singer and lead guitarist in an alternative rock band (Bullet Proof Moxie and formerly of Blind Shame) and experienced success, with awesome talent and drive. He was a great sales person, graduating from my old school Oakland University and had a supportive and loving family. He was generous and seemed to care more about everyone---- putting his friends and family above himself. A guy who had everything going for him, everyone pulling for him---except himself. After struggling with an undiagnosed illness for over a year, Chad decided to take his own life. I guess that in itself is very tragic, but his method was horrible. Stepping in front of a train. And that was the end of it.
So many lives are affected by this decision....but I guess no one can know what was happening deep inside of Chad. I pray for his family and for his soul.
