Epitaph

Daily writing prompt

Tell us one thing you hope people say about you.

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Let’s see…things I’ve heard people say about others after they’re gone. Let’s start by excluding stuff they’ll say at the funeral because we know people tend to run on platitudes – “She was always so…” or he ” always did…”

Consider what they’ll say after you leave the party, the room, depart for a long sabbatical, or get fired. Those will generally be more pithy, to the point, and indicative of character. You don’t want, ” He was so slack regarding details, ” ” Wow! I won’t miss her!” or the real clincher, “No big loss.”

We all want them to say, ” he was a great motivator and could train new hires like no one else!” or, ” Jan’s leaving, and it’s going to leave a hole in the team that’s hard to fill.”

Next time you think about what you’d like them to say about you, think about what they say while you are alive. It might influence what they have to say after you are gone.

Photo: figurehead of sir Walter Raleigh – Peabody Essex Museum