Identity for the "self"

The "SELF" seems to want to collect things in order to build an identity that it can be proud of...

nice car
house
net worth
degrees
knowledge
spiritual advancement
friends in the right crowd (thinkers, artists, powerful people)
iPhone

but yet, we will all be dead soon and we know that none of this will matter.

What will matter when we are dead? I can't say. I really have no idea.

Maybe a better question would be, what will matter when we know we are dying?

I have to admit, i really do not know what will matter to me at that time but here are some guesses:

How well did I live?
How well did I love?
Do the people in my life know how much I appreciate them?
Did i lose myself in petty nothings or did I master the art of letting go?

What strips away when we think of our last moments on earth?

I don't think my "academic degrees" will matter but maybe how much fun I had creating and thinking.....

How is my relationship with myself? Am I at peace with myself?

How well do I know my pure essence of being? How well am I familiar with the part of me that is eternal?

You can spend your whole life working on your personal resume of desires, but at that moment when you are aware of your death, the only thing that will matter may just be how well did you love yourself through your life?

How well did you live?
How well did you love?
How well did you learn to let go?

deep thoughts,
alex