Lately, I’ve thought a lot about leaving a legacy. Perhaps that happens when you move to a new place. The people you leave behind must carry on. And you soon realize they can do rather well without you! It can be a humbling experience when the world doesn’t stop because you’ve moved elsewhere!
There is something within each of us that hopes we will be remembered long after we are gone. But the truth is, we are very mortal and entirely forgettable. Have you ever returned to your alma mater or childhood home to find there are new faces? Life carried on after you left. It’s nothing personal. It happens to all of us!
Yet we all want to be remembered long after we are gone. What is the best way to leave a legacy?
Legacy From Wealth?
Since the dawn of history, anyone with wealth and power has built memorials to themselves.
- Pharaohs built pyramids
- Caesars built statues
- Kings built impressive castles
- Politicians have parks and streets named after themselves
Monuments can be impressive. And frequently, they can lead to altruistic causes. How many hospital wings or university buildings have been named in Memorium to someone? Yet if we’re honest, we can enter one of these nice buildings without having a clue who that person was.
We may have a name, but what does that tell us about them?
– Who were they?
– What did they stand for?
– What was their life like?
– Why should we care?
Legacy From Descendants?
We all have a family tree. Some of us have fond memories of our parents and grandparents. Then again, some of us have unpleasant family dynamics passed down from generation to generation. Yet, we owe at the minimum our lives to our ancestors. In effect, we are all a legacy of someone.
But what do we know about our ancestors? If we’re fortunate, we may know names of some of them. We may be able to trace our family tree back hundreds of years. Perhaps we can trace their journey from Europe, to America. Beyond that, it can be an empty slate.
We can live a life of integrity today. The All-Pro Dad blog has ten ways to leave a legacy. All of them are great points. But one sticks out to me among the others.
Legacy in Words
Several months ago, my mother gave me some of my grandfather’s journals. They were such a gift to me! I was able to see his thoughts and prayers in his handwriting. It struck me how he had his struggles and pain that I had no clue about.
Of course, why should I have known? I was his grandchild. I would have been too young to understand. But as an adult, my grandfather’s words spoke to me. I could understand them. It was as if he was there with me. He was speaking to me eighty years later!
There are no guarantees in this life. Rain falls on the just and the unjust. It’s quite possible that if the world continues, I will have great-grandchildren that may not know anything about me. Then again, If I leave a legacy of my words, perhaps someone will know a bit about me long after I am gone.
So what DOES it mean to leave a legacy?
I am making it my mission to leave a legacy of words for the ensuing generations. I can help you answer, “What does it mean to leave a legacy?” Let’s talk about how I can help you leave a legacy for those who come after us.
