I love this dichotomy of two different ideas found in Stoic Philosophy: memento mori and memento vivere. The relationship between remembering to live by remembering you’re going to die inspires me to appreciate each day by living intentionally, pursuing dreams, and creating my ideal life knowing I’m not guaranteed tomorrow. 

By the time I graduated from college, I had attended almost two dozen funerals for people close in my life who I lost to illness, accident, suicide, and even murder. I walked in on someone hanging himself in a public bathroom. I have a really close friend who lost a beautiful baby not long after I held her for the first and only time. I lost a wife to breast cancer and my son lost his Mama when he was just 2 years old. I’m all too familiar with the fragility of life. 

With the constant theme of loss, I had the option to choose one of two paths that presented themselves: I could be angry and fear death or I could be inspired and embrace life. I distinctly remember being twelve years old at one of those funerals for a really close family friend, yet I wasn’t showing much by way of sad emotions. Someone came up to me and assured me it’s ok to be sad and it’s not “unmanly ” to cry. Sure I felt sadness this person wouldn’t be around anymore, but in my twelve-year-old mind, it made more sense to focus on their life and the happy memories made, rather than dwell on the loss. Being sad wouldn’t bring them back. But being happy about their life was a way to honor it!

Growing up, there was a show on MTV called The Buried Life. Four guys created a Bucket List and set out to check items off their list, no matter how simple or absurd they were. This show was a lightbulb moment for me that I had the power to chase wild dreams and massive goals in my life; I just needed to give myself the permission and the opportunities to do so. 

As part of a college project in one of my Disney University classes where I attended during my internship program at Disney World, I was assigned to create my own bucket list. (I now call it my Memento Vivere List) Dreaming up my own list helped me visualize what I wanted to do in life. Writing down my list helped me follow-through on actually doing those things!

Does my list inspire you?

Can you help me check something off my list? 

I’m on my own constant journey remembering to live each day. I’m inviting you to join me while you trek along on your own journey figuring out for yourself what it means to truly live the life you want by following your heart, chasing your own dreams, and creating your ideal life. Don’t forget to truly appreciate the little things along the way, as well.