Are you “beloved”? If not now, when?

IT IS INTERESTING that in death, most individuals are “beloved.” The other day, attending the funeral of a friend’s father, I had the opportunity to read the gravestones of at least one hundred individuals. Resting quietly in the ground were wives, husbands, mothers, sons and daughters-and all were “beloved.” In life, as in death, no doubt some were “beloved,” but some certainly were not. Some were liked, some tolerated, and some . . . 

MY THOUGHTS: How important it is to be BELOVED IN LIFE, even more than in death. And this is the true lasting legacy we should all seek. Not just a title that conforms to social norms.

Here are some simple suggestions for being BELOVED IN LIFE:
1. Take time to listen to another. Without judgment, try to really understand what he/she is saying.
2. Express with words your appreciation, gratitude, and even love for another.
3. Prioritize giving over getting.
4. Recognize that family comes first. Peace at home is essential to meaningful success in any other endeavor (work, career, hobby, etc.).
5. Keep the “peace” by completely avoiding all expressions of anger.

You will know you are BELOVED IN LIFE when family members seek your company, ideas, and simply smile when you appear before them.