This year, I attended seven funerals. All of them were for my friends’ parents. As a relationship expert, I couldn’t help but notice something profound – something that would forever change how I understand human connection.
What struck me wasn’t just the services themselves, but the stark difference in how people grieved. Through these experiences, I witnessed two distinct types of farewells: those where people grieved what they lost, and those where they grieved what they never had.
In the first type, the rooms were filled with stories that brought both tears and laughter. Children spoke of Sunday morning pancakes and life lessons learned over kitchen tables. Friends recalled acts of kindness that shaped their lives.
Colleagues shared how the deceased had mentored them, supported them, believed in them when they didn’t believe in themselves. These weren’t just memories – they were testaments to a life that touched others deeply, meaningfully, irreversibly.
Then there were the other services. The ones where eulogies felt like reading a resume: “Born on this date. Had two children. Four grandchildren. Worked here. Retired there.”
The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken longings, with all the conversations that never happened, with relationships that remained surface-level until the very end.
The silence between the words spoke volumes about connections that never deepened, bridges that were never built.
My mentor often says, “Show me the thumbprint, and I’ll tell you about the thumb.”
These seven funerals showed me the thumbprints of different lives, and they revealed an essential truth: some people help us become better humans through the relationships they build, while others – often unintentionally – take away from our humanity through the connections they fail to nurture.
From our first breath to our last, our relationships are the single most powerful influence on who we become.
The way our parents respond to our cries as infants shapes our trust in the world. The friendships we form in childhood mold our understanding of loyalty. The romantic partnerships we build in adulthood either heal or reinforce our deepest wounds.
Every interaction, every conversation, every moment of vulnerability or courage in relationship with others – these are the threads that weave the tapestry of who we are.
I’m sharing this with you today because this moment – right now – can be the day you become a better human. Not just for yourself, but for humanity.
Every relationship you nurture today becomes part of someone else’s story tomorrow. Every connection you deepen now creates ripples that will continue long after you’re gone.
This is why I’ve created the Relationship Mastery Accelerator, a small group coaching program designed to help you master the art of human connection.
This isn’t just about improving your relationships – it’s about becoming the kind of person whose funeral will be filled with stories of lives touched, hearts moved, and souls transformed.
Starting January 9th, I’ll be guiding a select group through the essential skills and tools needed to build deeper, more meaningful connections.
Whether you’re working on family relationships, professional relationships, or your relationship with yourself, this program will give you the framework to create lasting, positive change.
The question isn’t whether you’ll leave a thumbprint on the world – you will. The question is what story that thumbprint will tell. Will people grieve what they lost when you’re gone, or what they never had?
Registration is open now, but space is limited to ensure each participant receives the attention and support they need. If you’re ready to become a better human – for yourself and for all the lives you’ll touch – I invite you to join us.
Because the story of how you transformed lives? That story begins today.
