Standing at the edge of death, the legendary warrior Alexander the Great made his last three requests to his generals. He told them that these three wishes must be fulfilled after his passing.
The first request was:
Only his personal physicians should carry his coffin.
The second request was:
All the gold, jewels, and valuable wealth he had acquired during his life should be scattered along the path through which the coffin would be taken.
The third and final request was:
While carrying the coffin, both of his hands should hang outside it so that everyone can see.
When the generals asked him the reason behind these strange requests, Alexander sighed softly and explained:
➤ Explaining the first wish, he said:
“I want people to understand that doctors are helpless in the face of death. No matter how much they try, they cannot stop life from ending.”
➤ Regarding the second wish, he said:
“Not a single piece of my wealth is going with me. I spent my entire life chasing these treasures, yet at the moment of death, everything is being left behind. I want everyone to realize that chasing after these things is not the ultimate goal.”
➤ Explaining the third wish, he said:
“My empty hands will hang outside the coffin so that all can see—just as I came into this world empty-handed, I am also leaving it empty-handed.”