Even czars get buried with a shovel

I was discussing the natural history of a newly diagnosed cancer with a patient this week. She said "Well, I thought I'd have longer to live than that," but then said I guess "even czars get buried with a shovel." 

This much is very true. No matter how successful or lives and no matter how long our lives are, all of us have one certain destiny: death. It's up to each of us to decide how we spend the precious time we have on earth. Even if you know that your life is now limited in duration by cancer, there is still much that can be done with this precious gift of time. My goal for these patients is to help palliate symptoms so that they can enjoy each and every moment.

This patient's statement made me think about my father's funeral. He had a big impact on many lives. The church at his memorial was packed with friends, former coworkers, and family. We didn't talk about money or material things in his eulogy. Instead, we focused on the deep and meaningful impact he had no the lives that knew and loved him. I think this is one of the greatest testaments to a life well lived, no matter how long that life might be.