Death

“As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.” – Leonardo Da Vinci

​During this tax season I experienced two deaths.

The first was of a neighbor who was always going about the neighborhood doing good. He seemed to always be more concerned about others than himself. He lived his life helping, smiling and bringing joy to others. I saw him every Sunday as he and his wife would pick up the widow next door to us so she could go to church. I was unable to attend his funeral for tax preparation related reasons but my wife went. She told me of things she had learned about this man I admired from his funeral and I gained a deeper appreciation of who he was and what he did during his lifetime. I was glad to see him celebrated.

The other death happened a few days later as a friend let the doors close on his business. He had started his business and made it successful. He was introduced to another opportunity and he began doing both. With his time split, the original business eventually became a side business and eventually the new opportunity began taking his time and energy. He closed the doors on his business seven years after starting it. He celebrated and lamented its closing. I was glad to see he took a moment to celebrate his business.

Closing a business is much like death. Part of us and who we are goes with it as we have labored so much for its success. When it is time to close the doors, take a moment and eulogize the business – what was great, who it helped and what you learned from it. These are memories you can treasure and look to as you grow in this next phase of life and your journey.

Not all of our ventures succeed but all of them can be celebrated and provide lessons we can learn from as we undertake the next venture.