Good Bye and RIP Philip! I loved your work and you will be missed!
Red Dragon, Hunger Games, Boogie Nights, The Talented Mr. Ripley and the list goes on – RIP to the Awesome Philip Seymour Hoffman. I always loved his “Bad Guy Persona” and he had this amazing magnetic presence on film.
Even though I didn’t know him personally – it’s always sad seeing prominent entertainers go – especially when you love their work and the circumstances were tragic.
To me, when awesome people die it always gets me reflecting on the short-time of life and the rather brief time we have on the good old planet Earth. I think it can be easy to assume we are here forever – but these moments make me really want to live life to the awesome fullest. I know before I know it, I will be 90 getting ready to “Finish Up” so the goal for me is to do as much good as possible.
From my early Government Days, my old Partner KIA (“Killed in Action”) and having lots of Vietnam Veteran friends die one at a time (then also facing my own mortality) it’s given me quite a different view of death compared to most people. I think when you have not only faced your own death – but seen many die it makes you see the world in a very different take and in a strange way gets you more attached to people and relationships – much over Ego and Possessions.
Philip Seymour Hoffman moving on the world in tragic (and possibly self-inflicted) circumstances had got me thinking about a big question I asked myself several years ago:
“If you died tomorrow, how many would be at your funeral and what would they say about you?”
I asked myself that question about 5 years ago and it was a sad answer I got. I would have been lucky if it was more than 3 people (my parents would come I am sure!) and the content of my eulogy would totally suck. At the time many of my friends moved on, my old fiance (rightfully so) Jillian left and I didn’t have many people left. Many of my old friends from earlier years were all dead as well and asking this question was quite confronting.
But I am glad I asked it, it got me reassessing my life and if I got taken out tomorrow – I believe I would have at least 30 at my funeral with some testifying that I have helped change their life for the better.
This type of thinking also gets me thinking too – such as in the case of Awesome Philip Seymour Hoffman is that when we die what is left over? Our legacy! Not just funding and assets – but the impact we made on the world and people to come.
Even though his death was sad in it’s nature, he left an amazing legacy and that is quite admirable. After all – we are all going to die sometime, so to me it’s the way we go out and the awesomeness we leave behind that really matters.
So my advice and question to you? If you got killed tomorrow what would be said at your funeral? What would you leave behind? Would you be happy with the result?
If your funeral would turn out like mine did 5 years ago – may I suggest please don’t panic! Use it as a great opportunity to reassess your life and choose a new awesome direction. If your funeral would rock – then please disregard this rather dark question and smile for the day.
My thought for the day and reflecting on this incident? Live every day to the full and think carefully about the mark you are leaving on the world. Contribution is everything and this statement may sound odd – I am actually okay with death tomorrow! I don’t mean I have a death-wish or anything. Far from it – I love my life. It’s just that I feel that I have helped so many people and done a lot for the world, that my life has meant something.
For you it may be your children, your family, achieving big (which I am happy with in my case) or even more. Think it through carefully – make it inspire and motivate you for the better, so the day the reaper comes – you can smile knowing you have lived an awesome life and lived a great legacy.
And if you can hear this Philip – thank you for the great movies and RIP! Loved your work.
Thank you from Edward Zia – and I hope you enjoyed this article!
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