How do we wish to be remembered?

Another thought which spoke to me (also mentioned over Channel News Asia) was about what S. Rajaratnam replied when he was asked, "How do you wish to be remembered?"

And if I can clearly remember his reply, it went like this - "Here lies the man. We are sorry that he has left the Earth." I'm not sure if anyone finds this statement profound, but personally I find it very simple. Or maybe S. Rajaratnam himself wanted it to be simple. A highly accomplished & well-liked man wanted to be remembered as someone simple? Hmm... now that's profound...

But that set me thinking about how I wish to be remembered after I'm gone from the Earth. So I asked my parents. My Dad smiled & my Mum said she never thought about it before. Either way, both of them didn't know what to say or think about it.

And that could be a problem for us. Not that we ought to envision ourselves as martyrs or great men who accomplished great things... but the fact that this question & OUR answer would play a part in determining how we think, what we do & the things we strive for in life.

That is... if we are even interested in answering this question in the first place...

And if so... the question remains - how do we wish to be remembered after we have left this Earth?