A speaker asked the audience at a lecture hall.
“There are two most important days in your life. When do you think they are?”
The audience gave various answers such as “the day when I was born,” “the day when I got married,” and “the day when my child was born.” The speaker listed their answers one by one and said with a smile.
“The first important day in your life is when you were born, as many of you have said. Seeing you nod, I think all of you agree to this. Then, when is the other important day?”
The audience responded confidently as if they could guess the correct answer, “It’s the day when I die!” Then the speaker shook his head and said,
“The day of death is not important. People are going to die some day, and if they die they cannot have any impact on their lives because everything is over. The day when you meet a loved one and raise a family is important, and the day when the second generation is born is also important very much. But there is a more important day than these. It is the day when you realize why you were born.”
* This article is adapted from the words of Richard J. Leider, an author and columnist.