HOW WILL WE BE REMEMBERED?
So much is written nowadays about a person’s “legacy”. Politicians worry about how they will be remembered. Historical facts are even sometimes “adjusted” to make the record look good. Indeed, some presidents who were not popular during their lifetime have risen to be called great as history proves that they made the right decisions without the benefit of hindsight.
We ordinary mortals sometimes worry about how we will be remembered in our little corner of the world, within our circle of influence. We face the realization of our mortality and don’t like the idea of possibly being forgotten. History will not remember most of us as a Beethoven, Van Gogh, Churchill, Lincoln, Elvis, the Beatles, Van Halen, Charlton Heston and the list goes on. It even causes us to wonder if our life has any meaning at all if we are just a speck of sand on this huge revolving ball in a universe that seems limitless as astronomers find more and more universes and galaxies as each year they develop more powerful lenses. In fact, it causes me to chuckle when I read that a “new planet” has been “discovered”. I’m convinced that there’s lots more out there and we cannot conceive of anything being limitless. Perhaps that is why we are fascinated with the beauty of a sunset or the ocean because we are staring off into an incomprehensible eternity. As a sidebar. I feel we were built for eternity and that is why we resist instinctively even minor changes in our daily routines. We want things to be permanent and in that sense secure, reliable.
So this instinctive concern to have immortality and be remembered all locks in together. That’s why some people have gone to extraordinary measures to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. Please, somebody remember me! It’s my life! It’s all about me! I’m all I’ve got. Well, at most we might be remembered for one or two generations. For the same reason, we admire someone who can trace his roots back to 1500 or 1700. I’ve read the Roosevelt family can trace their family back to the Mayflower and Pat Boone traces his family back to Daniel Boone.
In pondering this over time, I have decided that none of this really matters! I personally don’t care anymore! What gave me this aha revelation was going to Grandparent’s Day at our 7 year old granddaughter Rachel’s school a few weeks ago in San Diego. She was so pleased to see that I could come and excitedly showed me around her room. I thought I was going for her, but, as usual, I’m the one who got blessed. I was thrilled and encouraged to see her second grade class so enthusiastic about school and learning. So innocent, so eager to listen. Afterward, her Dad and Mom took us all to lunch along with little sister Tori. In the car driving to lunch together I got to share a few things with these 2 little eager beavers who I fondly call, “Sugar”... It was little nothing things in terms of the universe, but stuff in my heart. Maybe they won’t even remember what I said. But, hopefully, it might add a little buzz to their experience or even enhance what Mom and Dad are trying to instill in them. I mentioned to them how wonderful it was to be in a great school, that that is their job just like Mommy and Daddy and I have our jobs. That school is the most important thing in the world and will affect their whole lives, how important reading is, that no wonder their teachers love them because they are polite and well behaved, that how lucky that they have parents who value school for them and made sure they are in a good school. Like I say not big stuff but maybe coming from someone else who is not Mommy, it might mean something or plant a few seeds. They’ll get all this anyway in their good environment but it’s nice to know I could help out.
Driving home on the 5 freeway, in full view of that glorious blue Pacific, I had my “aha” moment. I got rid of the burden of the luggage of legacy. It hit me... My life doesn’t need to be about me, me, me to be happy. All about me. Frankly, I get a little bored with “me” all the time. I can forget the legacy bit because when I leave this planet, I won’t know about any legacy left behind anyway! I’m going somewhere where I’ll be so happy off in that golden sunset, that I won’t give a hoot whether I’m remembered on earth or not. Perhaps I’ll be sitting on one of those clouds playing my guitar or boogie boarding on those endless waves. All that matters to me is the hope of leaving some words or deed of encouragement for those who remain behind me so they can carry on the good fight, the good life. I’m just happy that I got here at all to enjoy it…to enjoy the wonderful “now”.
And that is where the irony comes in. Like a boomerang, by giving off those waves of encouragement and excitement whenever possible, even in little nuggets like Grandparent’s Day, it comes back to me full circle. I get blessed, I have a good time, I enjoy life and it has meaning. That is enough for me. So, why worry? I’ll leave the legacy struggle to the politicians and enjoy life while I’m here on the planet! I hope you feel the same.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote bottom of first page: “Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value”. Albert Einstein
We ordinary mortals sometimes worry about how we will be remembered in our little corner of the world, within our circle of influence. We face the realization of our mortality and don’t like the idea of possibly being forgotten. History will not remember most of us as a Beethoven, Van Gogh, Churchill, Lincoln, Elvis, the Beatles, Van Halen, Charlton Heston and the list goes on. It even causes us to wonder if our life has any meaning at all if we are just a speck of sand on this huge revolving ball in a universe that seems limitless as astronomers find more and more universes and galaxies as each year they develop more powerful lenses. In fact, it causes me to chuckle when I read that a “new planet” has been “discovered”. I’m convinced that there’s lots more out there and we cannot conceive of anything being limitless. Perhaps that is why we are fascinated with the beauty of a sunset or the ocean because we are staring off into an incomprehensible eternity. As a sidebar. I feel we were built for eternity and that is why we resist instinctively even minor changes in our daily routines. We want things to be permanent and in that sense secure, reliable.
So this instinctive concern to have immortality and be remembered all locks in together. That’s why some people have gone to extraordinary measures to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. Please, somebody remember me! It’s my life! It’s all about me! I’m all I’ve got. Well, at most we might be remembered for one or two generations. For the same reason, we admire someone who can trace his roots back to 1500 or 1700. I’ve read the Roosevelt family can trace their family back to the Mayflower and Pat Boone traces his family back to Daniel Boone.
In pondering this over time, I have decided that none of this really matters! I personally don’t care anymore! What gave me this aha revelation was going to Grandparent’s Day at our 7 year old granddaughter Rachel’s school a few weeks ago in San Diego. She was so pleased to see that I could come and excitedly showed me around her room. I thought I was going for her, but, as usual, I’m the one who got blessed. I was thrilled and encouraged to see her second grade class so enthusiastic about school and learning. So innocent, so eager to listen. Afterward, her Dad and Mom took us all to lunch along with little sister Tori. In the car driving to lunch together I got to share a few things with these 2 little eager beavers who I fondly call, “Sugar”... It was little nothing things in terms of the universe, but stuff in my heart. Maybe they won’t even remember what I said. But, hopefully, it might add a little buzz to their experience or even enhance what Mom and Dad are trying to instill in them. I mentioned to them how wonderful it was to be in a great school, that that is their job just like Mommy and Daddy and I have our jobs. That school is the most important thing in the world and will affect their whole lives, how important reading is, that no wonder their teachers love them because they are polite and well behaved, that how lucky that they have parents who value school for them and made sure they are in a good school. Like I say not big stuff but maybe coming from someone else who is not Mommy, it might mean something or plant a few seeds. They’ll get all this anyway in their good environment but it’s nice to know I could help out.
Driving home on the 5 freeway, in full view of that glorious blue Pacific, I had my “aha” moment. I got rid of the burden of the luggage of legacy. It hit me... My life doesn’t need to be about me, me, me to be happy. All about me. Frankly, I get a little bored with “me” all the time. I can forget the legacy bit because when I leave this planet, I won’t know about any legacy left behind anyway! I’m going somewhere where I’ll be so happy off in that golden sunset, that I won’t give a hoot whether I’m remembered on earth or not. Perhaps I’ll be sitting on one of those clouds playing my guitar or boogie boarding on those endless waves. All that matters to me is the hope of leaving some words or deed of encouragement for those who remain behind me so they can carry on the good fight, the good life. I’m just happy that I got here at all to enjoy it…to enjoy the wonderful “now”.
And that is where the irony comes in. Like a boomerang, by giving off those waves of encouragement and excitement whenever possible, even in little nuggets like Grandparent’s Day, it comes back to me full circle. I get blessed, I have a good time, I enjoy life and it has meaning. That is enough for me. So, why worry? I’ll leave the legacy struggle to the politicians and enjoy life while I’m here on the planet! I hope you feel the same.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote bottom of first page: “Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value”. Albert Einstein
posted by Ann Baker, Realtor at
5:35 PM
