Last summer, I took part in a transformative course called Leadership & Hardiness, which combined philosophical inquiry with physical challenge. We delved into the writings of Viktor Frankl, explored the nature of resilience, and reflected deeply on what it means to lead with purpose. The experience culminated in a summit of Mt. Adams in Washington State—a powerful metaphor for the internal climb we had been making throughout the course. One of the most profound assignments involved writing a Celebration of Life letter from the perspective of a loved one, intended to be read at your own funeral. It was an exercise in vulnerability and envisioning the impact you hope to leave behind. Here is a snippet of our prompt:
The premise of Frankl’s work claims “that anyone who knows why they live (e.g. the value of just being here) can withstand many hardships.” This perspective implies that “searching for meaning” is one of our primary motivational forces to living. Purpose-in-life represents a direction of one’s energy and a driving force to ask questions about “Who am I?” and “Why am I here?” To understand Frankl’s theory, we must also understand his emphasis on the integration of human body-mind-spirit and how the interaction between each other shapes our journey of will to meaning. The need for meaning arises from our brief and finite transitoriness of life, and “individual’s existential consciousness of mortality and that one day death will come.”
I didn’t mind the assignment, even if it felt a bit morbid at first. The truth is, we’re all going to die someday—and taking a moment to sit with that reality can be grounding. As someone who tends to be my own harshest critic, it was surprisingly healing to write about myself with kindness and compassion. It offered a brief but meaningful pause from the constant pressure I put on myself. I’m sharing my Celebration of Life letter here as a personal reminder of what truly matters: connection, service, relationships, and love.
4 June, 2024
Dear Justine,
We know that you were a very untraditional and vibrant soul. As we gather here today to celebrate your life, we remember all of the wonderful memories that we have shared with you. While we are sad that you are no longer with us physically, we know that you are no doubt telling us to “get it together” and head to happy hour!
You chose to live life joyously, authentically, and without apology. We all know that you could be very strong-willed at times. Living a life where many people doubted you and asked you “why?” you challenged them and replied with “why not?” You lived your life to the absolute fullest with no regrets. You ran incredible distances where you consistently challenged your strength and endurance. After leaving the comforts of city life and moving to the Pacific Northwest, you started embracing nature and taking pride in learning about the outdoors. You tested your faith and embraced your entrepreneurial spirit by starting a successful business where you were able to touch the lives of many people through affordable, fun, and fresh food. You were tenacious, bold, and unafraid of taking calculated risks especially when it was about giving back to the community.
Being of service and empowering others was something that provided a deep meaning in your life. After completing your 200 hour Yoga Teacher training, you assisted many people in finding health and healing, many times for free simply because you wanted to help. Volunteering at races, often for 10-12 hours at a time, was something that lit you up. You have left an impression on hundreds of people on their own quest to achieve an insurmountable goal. You have consistently believed in others and through your service, they have found the determination to believe in themselves and their dreams.
Ultimately, you wanted to inspire other people to believe that anything is possible. Through you, we learned the beauty in trying and sometimes failing but having the optimism to believe that we are unstoppable. Your tenacity and grit helped you conquer fears and challenges which encouraged us to live our lives to the fullest and be our most authentic selves.
So here’s to you, Justine, thank you for inspiring us and being our number one hype girl. We will see you in Heaven, where you will welcome us with a hug, a cheeky sarcastic remark, and a spritz in hand.
Love always, your family and friends.
Run. Sip. Serve. 