As I tossed in bed in the early hours of the morning, unable to sleep, my mind raced furiously in overdrive. That’s when my thoughts, for some reason, turned to famous last words. It had something to do with a documentary I’d watched earlier showing a long-suffering wife sadly pleading with her hopelessly alcoholic husband, who was abusing her “I’ve heard it all before—you said you’d give up drinking,” she sobbed.
I thought, Famous last words!
The expression suggests words that are meaningless, filled with all kinds of broken promises. Those addicted to drugs promise to kick the habit, heavy smokers promise to cut back on their consumption or quit smoking altogether, and alcoholics are always going to hav “just one more drink.” Then there’s the criminal who promises to walk the straight and narrow and never revert to his illegal activity, only to end up in prison again. There are also those who, in a crisis, promise to attend church regularly and serve God, and those who plan to reduce their credit card debt, stop gambling, pay the rent on time, do their homework, and on and on.
Unless these commitments are honored, they’re merely good intentions—meaningless promises that turn into famous last words. And our likely response? “Yeah, right!”
some examples
One can find a lot of famous last words in history. Some are quite humorous, others enlightening, and some proved to be oh, so wrong!
Apparently, in 1962, when the Beatles were still in their infancy, Decca Records made an expensive error of judgment. When offered the chance to promote the new group, they responded to the Beatles manager, “Guitar groups are on the way out, Mr. Epstein.”
One of the two brothers who built the first powered aircraft once declared, “Man probably won’t fly in our lifetime.” However, after Wilbur and Orville Wright’s initial disappointment with their glider inventions, they perfected an engine-powered flying machine. Yet they still predicted that “no flying machine will ever fly from New York to Paris.”
David Sarnoff, a pioneer in radio and television who rose through the ranks to become head of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), first suggested the benefits of radio in 1916. But he was told that “the wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?”
The Russian-born inventor, who immigrated to the United States with his parents as a nine-year-old, had foresight extending beyond his years. During his brilliant career, Sarnoff pioneered the production of many modern means of communication and exploration, including television, radar, and sonar. His services were invaluable during World War II, including his service as a communication consultant to General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Then there’s the anecdote of the late Steve Jobs, who tried to interest big firms in the personal computer that he and his companion, Steve Wozniak, had created. They went to Atari and said “Hey, we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of our own parts. So what do you think about funding us?” Unsuccessful, they tried other approaches, including, “We’ll give it to you! We just want to do it. Pay our salary and we’ll come and work for you.”
After Atari rejected their offers, they approached Hewlett-Packard, which responded similarly. “We don’t need you,” HP said. “You haven’t even gotten through college yet.”
Jobs later worked for both companies before going on to become cofounder, chairman, and eventual CEO of Apple Inc. Today, Apple’s iPhones and other devices dominate the world market.
The visions of the Wright brothers, David Sarnoff, and Steve Jobs have changed our world and the way we travel and communicate. But as interesting and important as those may be, there are some other “famous last words” that will affect our world and our personal lives for eternity.
Jesus’ famous last words
The most enduring words ever uttered were those bestowed on His executioners by Jesus in His last agonizing moments on the cross. “Father, forgive them,” He said, “for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Then, as His thoughts turned to His grieving mother at the foot of the cross, He spoke the words, “Woman, here is your son” (John 19:26). Such was Jesus’ compassion for others, with no thought for Himself.
Approaching His final moments, Jesus said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Then John records His final words as, “It is finished” (John 19:30). And in so saying, having endured the physical pain and agony heaped upon Him and the anguish of separation from His Father for our sakes, He fought and won the battle for the future of humankind.
Some famous last words stand out because they’re so wrong, others because they’re frivolous. But the words of Jesus will endure forever, bringing peace, happiness, and eternal life.
Words to remember
Often, when people are facing death or in intimate and vulnerable moments, they speak with complete honesty, saying the very things that are closest to their hearts. Others, knowing their time on earth is numbered, take a more philosophical, humorous attitude. Some of their quotes are poignant, some not-so-memorable, and others not repeatable. Here’s a sample:
Oscar Wilde, Irish playwright and poet, allegedly said as he lay dying in a drab Paris room, “Either that wallpaper goes, or I do.” He lost!
Douglas Fairbanks, the so-called king of silent Hollywood, reassured his caregiver, “I’ve never felt better.” He died in his sleep that night.
The poet Lord George Byron said, “Now I shall go to sleep. Goodnight.”
US President John F. Kennedy, when warned of possible attempts on his life, responded, “If someone is going to kill me, they will kill me.”
Beatle George Harrison is reputed to have said, “Everything can wait, but the search for God cannot wait.” Then he added “And love one another.”
John Lennon, responding to a policeman who asked him how he felt after being shot, said, “I’m in pain.”
British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill is attributed with the words, “I’m bored with it all.”
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the Victorian-era poet, when asked by her husband how she felt, replied, “Beautiful.”
Lady Nancy Astor, England’s first female Member of Parliament, when extremely ill, awoke to find her entire family standing by her bedside. She said, “Am I dying, or is this my birthday?”
Karl Marx, philosopher and political revolutionary, on his deathbed said to his housekeeper, who apparently was waiting for him to utter some noteworthy words, “Go on, get out—last words are for fools who haven’t said enough.”
