“The greatest gift is a
portion of thyself.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Recently my grandson asked me
what was the most important thing I had ever done. It was an unexpected
question that really got my wheels turning.
Usually when people pass away
there is a huge focus on the things they owned and who gets what, and the idea
of handing down ideas and values was a totally new way to look at it.
What if the most important
gift we can give our descendants is not a tangible item, but a piece of
ourselves?
It seemed revolutionary!
So I started thinking about
the things my loved ones (the ones still living and the ones who have passed)
have shared with me.
I thought back to the backyard
parties my grandparents used to have with family, friends, food, and music,
always music. My grandfather played polkas on the accordion.
I spent much of my summers
with them in Milwaukee and I would amuse myself for hours in my grandmother’s
attic, playing make believe. My grandmother and my mom shared their love of
games and books with us.
Some things were passed on and
taken to heart. These are the ones that I want to continue as part of my
legacy.
My grandparents demonstrated a
deeply held faith and never missed early services on Sunday. My path isn’t the
same as theirs, but as events in the past few years have moved me into a more
spiritual path, I hope to enjoy a deep connection with the divine.
I have learned that there is
magic in that connection. Take the time to listen. It’s so easy to hurry
through life and it’s over too quickly. There is so much to learn and enjoy
when you stop and take in the stories that are shared with you.
I like to say that public
service runs in my family. I am but one link in a long chain of sharing and
lending helping hands to those who were in need.
And what I know is that the
energy of giving of ones self is extremely powerful, and generous actions will
bring you as much blessing as it brings to those you help. I hope to be a good
example of that.
I have vivid memories of all
of these things. They have become a part of who I am and I hope they will
become part of future generations.
I’ve also learned a few things
of my own that I want to pass along.
I hope I can leave others with
a belief in the goodness and the magic of the world outside their door. Because
I know that there is beauty everywhere, you just need to open your eyes and
take it in.
And I want to be a reminder
that you should keep going when things get hard. If I learned anything through
my own hardships and challenges, it’s that I became stronger than I ever
thought.
Going through divorce,
financial struggles, job loss, entrepreneurship, family issues, moving to a new
state, several universities — all challenging — all tested me in ways I never
could have imagined. I came out the other side stronger than ever before, and I
will again when the next challenge pops up.
Gentle reader, I want to
remind you not to think about how you will find the strength; instead, just
keep moving and the strength will come to you.
Looking at what I have taken
in from others and also what I have learned from my own experiences has been a
powerful exploration of whom I am and what I hope to leave behind.
And I realized that in order
to be that example, in order to pass on these beliefs and values, I have to
live them consciously.
Knowing the legacy I want to
leave behind helps me stay focused on what I’m doing in the present so that my
goals are in line with that legacy. It offers a concrete sense of purpose in
choosing what I am giving my energy to.
And the whole concept of
legacy can be a deeply powerful way of connecting with others. Looking at your
roots, ancestral, blood family, cultural, spiritual, or whatever avenue you
choose to explore, connects you to those who have gone before you.
Planning the legacy you are
leaving behind connects you to those whose lives you touch, and that they
touch, and so on, potentially for generations to come.
I encourage you to really look
at the things you carry on from past generations. See what you need to leave
behind, as well as, what you want to carry forward.
What is your legacy?
No comments:
Post a Comment