You see, we all have a legacy that will impact our family, friends and community long after we are gone. It's greater than a life insurance plan, an heirloom piece of furniture or the random collection of useless items in our junk drawer. (Don't judge - I know you have one too!) For some people, the legacy left by their parents and grandparents is a painful one. It's full of regrets, hurt and memories they wish to forget. For others, like this dear family who is grieving the loss of their matriarch, it's full of hope, faith and inspiration.
The family didn't speak about how clean she kept her house or all the things she accomplished in her career. They didn't reminisce over how she always had it all together, and lived a perfect, rosy life. The overwhelming sentiment was how well she LOVED. Her selflessness, her genuine care for each person in her family, her ability to make each person she met feel special, and her constant joy made a deep impact on those who knew her best. She took the time to really know and love each person individually. Although I didn't know her well personally, anyone who knows her family can see the beautiful legacy of love, faith and joy that she and her husband have woven into the lives of their children and grandchildren.
Legacy isn't created in a day. It's something that you build into each day through the big and the small moments of life. What do I want to leave behind for those I love? A deep, unwavering faith in God that is woven into every part of my life. I want to be remembered for loving well. I want to be remembered for loving my husband unconditionally, for serving others, for treating my children like gifts and not an inconvenience, for being full of peace, for encouraging friends and strangers alike, for always being up for an adventure, and for trying to keep the right perspective through the ups and downs of life. The Lord has a lot of work to do in me to make this a reality, but I pray that whenever the end of my life arrives, those dear to my heart can stand up and know without a doubt that I loved each of them deeply for exactly who they are. What will your legacy be?
The family didn't speak about how clean she kept her house or all the things she accomplished in her career. They didn't reminisce over how she always had it all together, and lived a perfect, rosy life. The overwhelming sentiment was how well she LOVED. Her selflessness, her genuine care for each person in her family, her ability to make each person she met feel special, and her constant joy made a deep impact on those who knew her best. She took the time to really know and love each person individually. Although I didn't know her well personally, anyone who knows her family can see the beautiful legacy of love, faith and joy that she and her husband have woven into the lives of their children and grandchildren.
Legacy isn't created in a day. It's something that you build into each day through the big and the small moments of life. What do I want to leave behind for those I love? A deep, unwavering faith in God that is woven into every part of my life. I want to be remembered for loving well. I want to be remembered for loving my husband unconditionally, for serving others, for treating my children like gifts and not an inconvenience, for being full of peace, for encouraging friends and strangers alike, for always being up for an adventure, and for trying to keep the right perspective through the ups and downs of life. The Lord has a lot of work to do in me to make this a reality, but I pray that whenever the end of my life arrives, those dear to my heart can stand up and know without a doubt that I loved each of them deeply for exactly who they are. What will your legacy be?
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