We all have them – those moments in our life when we know we have done something of significance. It may be the day you received your college diploma or had your first child (or your fourth or fifth bundle of joy.) Perhaps it was when you took up a hobby and began to collect bottle caps, jumped out of an airplane, climbed a mountain or made a hole-in-one. I call these events: Obituary Moments. These are the moments that, when they occur, we realize that this is something we can include in our obituaries.

  The big question is simply this: What are you doing to create these events in your life now? I honor those people who live life to the fullest right up until the moment they die. They accept new challenges, embrace their stupidity and learn new things. They make new friends, go to new places, sing new songs and even learn how to tweet and text. Each day presents a new opportunity to experience life in its totality. Each day is filled with moments to love others, to offer a hug and to embrace a hot cup of coffee.

  I know a man who is 104 years old. He still discusses world politics and the latest shows on TV. He plays the keyboard (an activity he took up when he was 80 years old and newly retired.) Harry is up to date on all of the latest escapades of his grandchildren and still makes his own bed every morning. He sees no reason to slow down yet. In fact, he was still driving on short errands until last year when his family finally took his keys away. Grandpa Harry’s life is filled with Obituary Moments. When he does finally leave this world, the newspaper will not have enough room to tell his entire story.

  Don’t we all want to be like Harry? Each day we have opportunities to plan new adventures and create our own “Obituary Moments.” Our work is important and makes a difference to those we serve, but that is not enough. The time we spend with those we love is also of highest priority, but this does not qualify as a true “Obituary Moment.” It is the things we do outside of our normal activities that we must recognize as they are occurring. We must say to ourselves at that moment, “Hey, this is a great O.M.”

  If you are still confused, I am concluding this article with some of my own. I even added additional commentary of how they would appear, if they were not edited for the newspaper, but actually listed honestly with the back-story intact.

•         National speaker and expert in the field of therapeutic laughter and grief (Actually, international speaker since I also spoke in Toronto)

•         Certified Laughter Leader, Grief Management Specialist and Grief Services Provider (wanted to get certified as a Master Chef, but I hate to cook)

•         Ran the most comprehensive grief support program in the world (hey, it’s my obituary and I can write it as I want)

•         Completed two walking marathons (runners don’t look happy and I still have my original knees)

•         Published Author (even sold some books to people other than family)

•         Co-Founder of the Holistic Alliance of Western New York with over 600 members (membership is free and we just need a name and email to join, but we did find 600 people willing to give it to us)

•         Delta Society Pet Therapy Partner (my next dog was a pug, who threw up in the car and barked at anything that moved – but she is cute)

•         Dog groomer for twenty years (inhaled a lot of fur, but only bitten once… and that was by a cat!)

•         Green belt in Karate (then quit when we got to the hitting each other part)

•         Ate at Club 33 (look it up)

  Now that you know some of mine, I would love for you to e-mail me some of your own. Send me your Obituary Moments at: NancyW@MountCalvaryCemetery.com.