2 February 2002
Subject: Leaving a Legacy
Dear Ones,
Recently,
I heard an announcement on the radio of the death of TV
personality Foster Brooks. It caught my attention when the person said,
"Foster Brooks will be best remembered for his comic fake drunk
act." I thought to myself, "How would it feel if after living a
full life upon this earth that you would be best remembered as the "Lovable
Lush". It most assuredly would not be the legacy I would want to leave
my children or grandchildren.
I don't know if any
of you have spent much time seriously considering what others might say
about you after you are gone, but I must say it has crossed my mind more
than once. A while back, I did a little research on the subject and here
is what several people have written about leaving a legacy:
(1). Author Stephen Covey said that people all share
four basic needs: the need to live, to love, to learn and to leave a
legacy.
(2). Ralph Waldo Emerson defined success in life this way: "To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a little bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
(3). When
asked what he wanted to be remembered for when his life was over, Leo
Buscaglia replied, "I want to be remembered as somebody who lived life
fully and with passion. I've been asked to write my epitaph and I have always
thought that the perfect one for my tombstone would be, 'Here lies Leo who
died living.'"
(4). Sociologist Tony
Campolo asked fifty people over the age of 90 to reflect upon their lives.
"If you had it to do over again," they were asked, "what would
you do differently?" Though there were many answers, the three responses
which dominated were: "I would reflect more." "I would
risk more." "I would do more things that would live on after I
died."
(5). An anonymous source wrote,
"A father's legacy is measured by the deeds of his children."
As these folks see it, the
path to success and joy in life is to reflect
more, risk more, live life to its fullest, love completely, be
life-long learners, and leave an enduring legacy behind. There is much to be
said about the points they make.
In thinking about leaving a legacy,
I believe it is a basic desire to want our lives to count for something and to
be remembered in positive way.
If we seek to leave the world a
better place, we must get involved with something which makes a real
difference in the world.
Most of us will never be in a
position to influence the masses for the better.... the only way we
can change the world is to reach one person at a time. And that begins with a
"heart exam" and a commitment to put others before self.
In doing this, we should always
remember: don't ask what's in it for me.... don't allow our heads to grow
larger than our hearts.... and, most importantly, don't allow anything to
supplant our love and caring for others.
If concern for our fellowman is at
the forefront of the legacy we hope to leave behind, one
hundred years from now, our descendants may not only know who we were but
possibly find their lives forever changed for the better because of the legacy
we left for them.
Blessings on this Saturday
as we consider "leaving a legacy".
Don
