A Life That Matters by Ben Brophy | W. Uden & Sons Funeral Directors

A Life That Matters

Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.

So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won’t matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.
It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant — even your gender & skin colour will be irrelevant.

So what will matter?
How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built;
not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

OverView

“A Life That Matters” is a profound and philosophical prose poem that serves as a powerful meditation on legacy. Rather than offering gentle, direct comfort, it provides a stoic and inspiring framework for celebrating a life of substance and character.

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Feel No Guilt in Laughter by Unknown

Feel no guilt in laughter, they’d know how much you care.
Feel no sorrow in a smile that they’re not here to share.
You cannot grieve forever; they would not want you to.
They’d hope that you could carry on the way you always do.
So, talk about the good times and the way you showed you cared,
The days you spent together, all the happiness you shared.
Let memories surround you, a word someone may say
Will suddenly recapture a time, an hour, a day,
That brings them back as clearly as though they were still here,
And fills you with the feeling that they are always near.
For if you keep those moments, you will never be apart
And they will live forever locked safely within your heart.

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The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours

The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
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I Am Standing Upon The Seashore by Bishop Charles Henry Brent

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come
to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, ‘There, she is gone’

Gone where? Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me — not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, ‘There, she is gone,’
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And that is dying…

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Look For Me In Rainbows by Conn Bernard

Time for me to go now, I won’t say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, way up in the sky.
In the morning sunrise when all the world is new,
Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.

Time for me to leave you, I won’t say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, high up in the sky.
In the evening sunset, when all the world is through,
Just look for me and love me, and I’ll be close to you.

It won’t be forever, the day will come and then
My loving arms will hold you, when we meet again.

Time for us to part now, we won’t say goodbye;
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"We Decided to Use Udens and It was the best decision we ever made"

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If someone has died, Our Family is here to help you.

Find your nearest office below or request a call back.

orpington

bromley

beckenham

west-wickham

dulwich

biggin-hill

petts-wood

camberwell

sidcup

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eltham

Antoinette T.

I am writing to express our deepest gratitude for the exceptional care and professionalism your team provided, from the paperwork and all during the services for my husband Franco Trombetti.Every detail was handled seamlessly which brought our family great comfort during a very difficult time.We were particularly touched by the beautiful floral arrangements and how smooth and dignified the transport was.Please share our sincere thanks with everyone involved. You made a painful process much easier to bear.

Cheryl D.

Professional service through and through

Kate P.

Udens were exceptional. The care showed to us and our wishes for Mum was so excellent. The service they offered was perfect. Adam was so obliging and available. The actual funeral staff led by Lee were impeccable. Nothing was too much trouble and everything was done with such respect for our Mum. Thank you

Gina T.

This is the second time we have used Udens in the last 18 months.Both times their service and staff have been exemplary.The team that collected my Mum from the care home were so professional and caring, Andrea in the Petts Wood office couldn’t do enough to help us and helped me every step of the way. Kate the celebrant who took our service was beyond amazing!The team we had for the funeral were immaculate as were the cars, everyone was so professional. Udens are 5 * across the board.I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them and would never use anyone else myself!

Brian T.

Couldn't fault Uden's for the care, attention to detail and dignity they provided at my late father's funeral.Stanley and his colleagues made the event as special as it possibly could be.

Hayley D.

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to Udens bexleyheath.The care, support and kindness from start to finish was amazing. Thankyou for taking really good care of dad, you guys are 1 in a million. Big shoutout to Adam also. Your care and compassion has been phenomenal. Thank you guys.From the Underhills x

Tencia G.

I would like to thank Spencer and his team for helping our family plan our Dads funeral. They made the planning as easy for us as possible and were by our side every step of the way. Amazing team, thank you so much for your support.

Nicola F.

You simply cannot ask for a better service than when you first contact W. Uden & Sons. From the initial phone call, to the meeting, to the correspondence, to the help and advice, to the whole process, they were kind, respectful and so professional. They managed to blend the old traditions with some modern requests and the service was beautiful. Thank you from the bottom of mine and my sister’s heart.

Nichloas C.

I’ll like to thank udens & son for doing my dads funeral they went above and beyond want I expectedEven though the day was raining the guys at udens was really professional and helped every way they could to make the day less stressfulThey all was respectful and polite the whole timeI would recommend to anyone they was there to answer all my questions that i hadThanks again for everything

Wendy F.

Udens Petts Wood were first class from start to finish. The dignified way they collected dad from home and then a few weeks later mum from the nursing home showed great compassion and they made sure they were kept together. They quickly rearranged a single funeral to a joint funeral and explained the different options available and we were able to see them both together in the chapel of rest at very short notice. On the day Andrew turned a heartbreaking day to one of celebration and couldn't do enough for us. As a family we would like to thank Andrew and his team for their kindness, compassion and professionalism.

Denise S.

At a very difficult time, Adam and the staff of W. Uden showed us support and kindness. My father's funeral from start to finish was managed with dignity and understanding. I had not had to arrange a service before, so had to completely trust Adam. His focus was about our family, and giving us the day my father would have wanted. With beautiful small gestures, of a choice of colour of the ties that the staff wore, to the car and advice relating to the side of funerals I was not aware of. Sharing the procedure with thoughtfulness.Jay, who supported us during the service was respectful and understanding. At the meeting to arrange the service, we discussed things, which on the day changed. Jay was incredible in performing, not only his own duties, but to guide me. With just a look, he was at my side, checking that the ceremony was as the family wanted. To be able to rely on someone took away so much pressure. Even his call on the morning of the funeral, checking on me gave me the courage to feel I could handle the day. I am forever grateful.Thank you for your support and kindness.

Mike F.

Huge thanks to Adam and the team for the care and professionalism leading up to the funeral of Alfred Chambers and making the day of the funeral perfect. A truly outstanding service provided by Uden’s Bexleyheath. My family and I cannot thank all of you enough.

Sara S.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone at Udens Bexleyheath for the exceptional care and support they provided during the arrangements for my dad’s funeral.From the very beginning, Adam in the office was incredibly helpful, compassionate and professional. They guided us through the planning process with patience and understanding, making what could have been an overwhelming experience feel much more manageable. Nothing was too much trouble, and their support was greatly appreciated by our family.On the day of the funeral, Callum conducted everything with dignity, kindness and professionalism. His calm and reassuring presence helped us through a very emotional day, and it was clear that he genuinely cared about ensuring Dad received the respectful and meaningful farewell he deserved.The entire team helped create a beautiful service that honoured Dad’s life perfectly. At a time when emotions were running high, it was a great comfort to know that every detail was being handled with such care and attention.Thank you all for your compassion, support and professionalism. We are truly grateful and would not hesitate to recommend your services to others.Dad’s funeral was exactly what he would have wanted, and for that we will always be thankful.

Des S.

Uden and Sons did a fantastic day for my mothers funeral . Their professionalism shone through and we could not have asked for any more. I'd like to thank all the team for all their support for the day and would not hesitate to recommend them . Thanks from all the family.Many ThanksDes Shannon

Sian M.

Udens were extremely professional and respectful from my first call to the end. I can't recommend them highly enough. Andrea was enormously helpful. I have never organised a funeral before and they made everything so simple when we were obviously otherwise occupied. Thanks to everyone especially as I don't remember the names of those on the day, for which, forgive me.