TAKING IT WITH YOU

The only thing worthwhile that I will take with me when I die is my good name. Interestingly, my good name is also the only worthwhile thing I will leave behind.

A wise man who lived about eighteen hundred years ago was on his deathbed surrounded by his students. He appeared to be agonizing over something. Assuming that he was in pain, one of his students asked if there was anything that he could do to make the wise man more comfortable. "No," the wise man answered. "My agony is not physical. I only regret that I leave behind two bushels of grain."

Two bushels of grain did not constitute much of an estate even eighteen hundred years ago. What about leaving behind two bushels of grain caused the wise man so much agony?

Whether the story is true or not does not matter. There is an important lesson to be learned. Whatever activities we spend our time and effort on in this world that does not improve our good names cannot be taken with us and is thus wasted time and effort. Allegorically, the two bushels of grain represent the time and effort each of us spends accumulating possessions that we really do not need. Time and effort spent in this way is time and effort that would have been better spent on doing good for others and improving our good names.

When I die, I will leave behind many things. The only thing I will take with me when I meet my maker is my good name based on my good deeds. Paradoxically, the only thing worthwhile that I will leave behind is my good name based on my good deeds.

Once I recognize this simple truth, how I evaluate my use of time and effort will never be the same.