Recently, a friend posed a question on Face Book that made me think: What is your legacy? I used to think my children were my legacy and counted on them to keep my memory alive. Then I became a writer and realized that was another way to keep my memories alive. Words are powerful – it’s how this world was formed. Words become our reality. Before there was the written word, there was the spoken word. Histories and family traditions were handed down orally, passed from generation to generation. It’s how our Bible was created – it was spoken and handed down well before it ever became a written account. It’s how Alex Haley was able to trace his Roots – an old African told stories of his homeland, his capture and subsequent enslavement and taught them to his children. And, it’s also how my own parents instilled in me the wisdom of their generation which I am now able to pass to my own children.
Of course, I’m having about as much success with that as my parents had with me, LOL! It’s hit and miss at times, but I have hope that the seed I have sown will eventually take root in them as it inevitably did with me. My parents set the example in that they never stopped trying to reach me, never stopped talking to me and never stopped trying to impart that wisdom to me. No matter how stubbornly I rejected their teachings, they kept at it. So much so, that their words are still with me to this day. This is their legacy to me. It’s how they live on in me. It’s how they are immortalized. For as long as I live, they will live on.
“Longevity has its place.” Dr. Martin Luther King
When I was a young girl, I had a science teacher that told our class that our bodies were created to live forever. Our cells constantly regenerate. In theory, they should continue to regenerate cells of the same caliber, like for like, forever. But at some point, for no apparent reason, the cells create older versions of themselves, beginning the aging process. Some cells even get sick, regenerating in an abnormal fashion and turning against the body, resulting in diseases like cancer and leukemia. A healthy immune system will suddenly run amok and fight the body. Science has no explanation for why the normal regeneration process, that should keep us young and healthy forever, suddenly goes awry.
The answer lies in the beginning. We were created to live forever, initially. God created the heavens and the earth. For seven days he labored. The sun, moon and stars were formed; lakes, rivers and the creatures that dwell therein; birds that fly in the air and walk on the ground, vegetation to feed the animals that tread upon the earth. And then, there was the crowning pinnacle of His achievement – Man – created to have dominion over and to be a caretaker of the earth.
Then came the fall of mankind – Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God and brought trouble upon us all. They believed the lies of the Serpent and God revoked the whole “eternal life” thing by forbidding them access to the Tree of Life. But the desire to live forever, to create something that survives the passage of time, still lives in each of us. It is inherent in our DNA. It’s why we have children. It’s in why we create businesses and dynasties. Or why we have statues erected in our names and plaques to memorialize our achievements. It’s also why you’ll see a message carved in a desk or on a tree: “Jane loves Jim” or “Max was here.” We want someone to know that we lived, that we “were here” and to not forget us. We want to live on.
Some folks, like the poor misguided young man who went on a shooting spree in Arizona, leaving several people dead and critically injuring Congresswoman Giffords, think that they have to kill someone or commit mass murder to make sure they are remembered. They are so afraid that their life will be meaningless, that they will leave this world and be completely forgotten that they carry out some insane plot to ensure their place in history and secure their fifteen minutes of fame. But there is a more positive way to leave your world better for your existence.
“… All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.” Acts 9:39
Dorcas (aka Tabitha) became sick and died. The believers were distraught; they mourned her passing and showed the Apostle Peter all the wonderful things she had created, with love, by her very own hands. These were tangible evidence of her good works. This was her ministry and her legacy. It was how she would best be remembered. How would you like to impact the world around you? What can you do to leave your imprint or make your mark in this world? How would you like to be remembered? What Dorcas did was relatively small but, in her world, it made her memorable. As Mother Theresa once said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” We can create a legacy and live on through our actions.
Another FB friend recently decided that she would create her own personal ministry of encouragement to others. She just wanted to be that person to bless someone “on purpose.” I admired her effort because she was seeking to change her world and the people around her by bringing a positive spirit and influence into their lives. She spoke a wonderful blessing over me that touched me – for no other reason than just because she could. I think I will always remember that about her. And that is how we leave our mark – we leave the people around us better for having known us. It’s that simple.
I think what my parents did for me was done in a purposeful way, keeping in mind the kind of adult they wanted to produce and unleash upon the world. It was also done to prepare me to face some of life’s trials and tribulations. And it also happened to create a lasting legacy in me. So I write because I feel the same burden and responsibility to pass it on to the next generation and so that my own children will do the same. As my brother recently put it, “When you are an inspiration, you have an obligation!”
So ask yourself – what can I do? How do I want to be remembered? What can I do to create a lasting legacy? I think that whatever you do, as long as you do with a spirit of love, no matter how great or small an act, you won’t have a problem being remembered. We can live our lives “on purpose,” keeping in mind the kind of final result we want to achieve and how we want to be perceived. To paraphrase Queen “Who wants to live (on) forever?” I think we all do.
Be blessed,
Loria
You definitely have the gift of story telling and I remember that our father loved to tell elaborate stories. We didn’t know that he was making an impact on our lives but I think that he did. He imparted the love for God’s Word. Some 20 years later, we still quote him. He also had a thirst for knowledge and needed to share with all he met. Those attributes sound familiar, too. Our mom is known for her kind spirit, encouragement and great cooking. Our friends recognized that as something special when we just thought that she was being mom. I never thought about those things as legacies but the seeds that they planted so long ago, ground us today. I am inspired by your words and hope we can make a positive impact on the next generation.
Thanks, Norvella – we are already leaving our mark on the next generation – and not just with our own children but also with those who we mentor. When my kids begin to quote ME like the Bible, I will know I have succeeded, LOL! I think this generation will remember us kindly and emulate us.
It’s a wonderful thing to be able to write and put it in words,but the legacy that your parents planted is better than any writing,I know the legacy that my mother left us is still being caring on to this day.The gift of being a Loving and Caring Family always being there for one another, no matter what differences we might have ,even in our sibling rivalry, all that was shut down if one of us was in need. The legacy of just being kind and showing love and kindness to others,raising us up in church and knowing the Lord. A family that enjoys coming together cooking and eating that good southern food ,even with many of us living in different cities.
reading you and Novella comments, knowing your mother,you and the kids and how they have grown, are legacies that have been planted within that will never leave you or your children, paper can be destroyed but whats in the heart can never be destroyed ,being good or bad, not to discourage you from writing ,I think it is wonderful, but continue to plant the seed within, Thanks for continueing to share your words of inspiration. Stay Blessed.
So true, Pam – you make a good point! I can’t rely on writing alone to make an impact on my children. My life is my testimony and my legacy. That’s intangible but nonetheless real. More than words can say is the life I try to live before my children. This is what they will remember. But I write to keep all of our memories alive. I’ve forgotten a lot of things, (LOL!)so I hope that one day my kids and family and friends will look at my words and remember the events that inspired my writings. It’s like a picture album of memories.
Truly wonderful article, Loria. I remember when I posted the “What is your Legacy?” question on FB, I was really interested in what people had to say but it was you who made me reconsider my own legacy. Reconsider, because when I decided to have a child, I thought about the legacy I would leave. Now here I stand at the midpoint of my life desperately trying to get out of the “Mommy game” but my son keeps pulling me back in. I think it’s important to catch our children when they are young and transitioning to adulthood and ask them, “What do you want your legacy to be?” There is a song by Jonathan Nelson titled “Manifest” that has the lyrics “…to become what God’s designed me to be.” I would encourage everyone to listen to it when they ponder their legacy.
At last, my muse has shown herself! It was a good question – it made me put into words everything I had been striving to teach my children. My prayer has always been to raise them to be Godly, good and kind to others and to be productive citizens in our society. From their childhood, I kept in mind the kind of people I wanted to them to be. So “legacy” means looking back at what what invested in us, how it impacted us and also looking forward to how we want to invest in others.