ALEXANDER the Great (also known as Alexander III) served as king of Macedonia from 336 to 323 BC. During his leadership, he united Greece, reestablished the Corinthian League and conquered the Persian Empire. He was a great warrior. After conquering many kingdoms, he was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no consequence. He called his generals and said, “I will depart from this world soon. I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail.”
With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by the king’s last wishes. “My first desire is that,” said Alexander, “my physicians alone must carry my coffin.” After a pause, he continued, “Second, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury.”
Alexander felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute’s rest and continued. “My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin.”
The people who gathered there wondered at the King’s strange last wishes. One of his favorite generals dared to ask him about his last three wishes. Alexander took a deep breath and said, “I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctors on this earth can really cure anybody. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.”
“The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the path to the graveyard is to tell people that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth. About my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty-handed into this world and empty-handed I go out of this world.” With these words, Alexander closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last.
So, what lessons do we learn from Alexander the Great’s life? Remember, your health is in your own hands, look after it. Wealth is only meaningful if you can share and also enjoy while you are still alive, kicking and healthy. What you do for yourself dies with you. But what you do for others will live forever.
Why do I write this? Because I just want to remind those people who are in power, especially the one sitting at Cebu City Hall, not to abuse their positions because of political greed.
This “former political has-been” thinks he is the most powerful that he uses his positions to run after those who cross his path and those who do not succumb to his whims and caprices. An arrogant and vindictive person. He thinks he is a genius and acts like a dictator.
I would like to remind this person that everything in this world is only temporary. People will come and go and the positions and professions they hold and their wealth are only temporary. We will not last long.
This person should learn from Alexander the Great’s experience.
He claimed that his doctors in the US cleared him from cancer. Do you think he is really cured? He claimed he is against corruption but look at the people around him. Giving favors to his favored contractors and allies isn’t corruption? Running after big companies for personal and political agenda is not also a form of corruption? How much does he officially and religiously earn? How does he respond to allegations of his massive vote-buying during election time? How can he afford to have his medical checkup abroad? I have to remind this person that if he gained anything from questionable deals in the South Road Properties, he wouldn’t be able to bring it to heaven. Amen.