My Legacy

A friend challenged me to think about the Legacy I'll leave behind.

This is a hard one. First of all, I feel far too young to have a legacy, plus, in my own mind I haven't done anything remarkable. But, maybe someone else will think I have.

News stations actually do obits on celebrites or important political figures or just someone that has done something remarkable like winning the Nobel Peace Prize before they are dead hoping that they have footage and a leg up on the competetion when they actually do die. For example, NBC had Rose Kennedy's obit done FIFTEEN years before she actually passed away and it was updated periodically. Some random person had the responsibility of digging through archives, newpaper clippings, sound and media clips and photographs and putting together the legacy that the public will see. I shudder to think what my obituary would play like if some random person was responsible for putting it together. They could never know the emotions and feeling that I've put into the things that are important to me. If a sensationalist wrote my obit it would probably read something like this:

Born on April Fool's day in a snow storm on the side of the road and delivered by her father. Lost her mother to a violent death almost to the day she was born 8 years later. Married, graduated from college, and went on to have 5 children, 2 of which were a rare form of twins. I don't want to think of anything else sensational to end this one.

I think the one that someone who loved me would write would read something like this:
Made her way into the world with black eyes after her roadside delivery by her father. Was heartbroken when her mother died when she was young. Married her high school sweet heart, graduated from college and raised 5 children in a loving and organized home. Spent two and a half months in the hospital before delivering self coined miracle twins. Enjoyed volunteer work and serving in her church. (NOW here is my insert of goals and things I hope to achieve). Earned her Master's degree in Archaeology after her children went to school, travelled extensively with her family and was a loving and devoted wife.

Looks like I have some goals to keep!

I hope that my legacy also contains some of the things that my grandma and mothers do. Hard working, caring, devoted and always trying to be a better person spiritually, mentally, and intellectually. I have work to do in the physically department, but if I can take cues from my grandma then maybe one day I'll be in excellent physical condition!