What Will Be Buried With You?

The famous speaker, Les Brown, used to talk about facing ghosts on your deathbed. He would ask his audience to imagine the ghosts “of the ideas, the dreams, the abilities, the talents given to you by life” – potential that was never acted on – coming to them as they prepared to exit this life, demanding an explanation as to why they (the ghosts) were never allowed into existence. Describing the ghosts he says, “And there they are standing around your bed looking at you with large angry eyes, saying, 'we came to you, and only you could have given us life! Now we must die with you forever.'”

Les goes on to detail the scene a bit more and it culminates with a question, “If you die today, what ideas, what dreams, what abilities, what talents, what gifts, would die with you?” An amazing question to ponder!

Introspectively consider that question but then imagine another scene. Instead of the “ghosts” of forgone possibilities, what if it was loved ones you had to answer to on your deathbed? What if you faced people from your life, people you cared about deeply, and you were forced to explain to them you held back and didn’t pour into them the way you could have? What if it was your own kids and you must look them in the eye and admit to them there was much more of you to give but you held back, that they never got the best from you?

Imagine, after you pass, standing in front of your Creator and trying to answer for all the talents and abilities you left unused, buried in the ground beside you – gifts designed for you to share with others that the world never got a chance to see. That is a haunting scene indeed, far more than facing any ghost. So once more, I ask you to contemplate the question, “If you die today, what ideas, what dreams, what abilities, what talents, what gifts, would die with you?”

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