Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, was reading the newspaper one morning when, to his shock, discovered his obituary inside. It turned out that his brother had died, and the newspaper had published Alfred’s obituary by mistake. The obituary read,
“Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday.”
Nobel was rather taken aback by the way in which the world was going to remember him after his death. And it was due to this shock that he decided to set aside the bulk of his estate in order to establish the Nobel Foundation, which annually bestows international awards in recognition of cultural and scientific advances.
Today, Nobel is not remembered as the merchant of death, but as the creator of the Nobel Prizes, as a great humanitarian.
I can't help but think if I'd be happy with the legacy that I have created if I die tomorrow - that is - if I have a legacy as such.
You and I may not, but the relief is - we are not dead yet, right?
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