Have you ever thought of what kind of legacy you’re leaving? 

It’s just my personal opinion, but I think there is so much more to leaving a legacy. 

 The time you spend with your loved ones each and every day, the dreams you share, the life lessons that you have experienced along the way, are just part of the legacy you will leave to your children, your family, and friends.

So many times in this modern world we rush through life from job, to home, to errands and family activities.  There are so many distractions available and we run through life at a speed that doesn’t leave much time for personal reflection, meditation or growth unless we make a point of deliberately creating the space for these things in our lives.  Learning to balance work and home life is a struggle that has been in existence ever since jobs have been in existence. 

Everyday there is a constant barrage of commercials, ads, and every kind of media that assaults us from the moment we open our eyes and ears in the morning, to the moment we close them at night.  It’s important to make sure that when we are spending time with the people that matter to us, we turn off the cell phones, put aside the distractions and be present so everyone will enjoy and remember the moments that are being created on this journey.  How sad for some that the memories will be filled with someone texting at the table, or watching the television while another was trying to express something important to them.

My father passed away in September of this year, and I can’t help but realize how very short life is and how limited the time we have to spend with each other may be.  If I have any regrets it’s that while I did spend many hours as a child sitting beside my dad and listening to his stories of growing up, fighting in WWII, and working, I did not spent as much time as I could have catching up on different things going on in his life.  I still look for him at times, expect to hear his voice, or to see him sitting on the couch at mom’s house. 

My grandmother used to speak in rhyme and verse all the time.  She also told many wonderful stories using nature to teach important life lessons.  I loved to follow her around her house and listen to her.  She seemed to have an answer for everything, or at least a funny saying or poem on the subject.

Legacies are really so much more than money or things.  I have decided to write and illustrate many of the stories my grandmother and dad shared with me growing up.  Those stories were their legacy to me and I can’t think of a better way to honor them than to recreate them and share them with others. 

Take a moment today to think about what kind of legacy you are in the process of creating, because whether you intend to or not, you are creating one.  Then take a moment to decide what kind of legacy you would like to create, to leave for your family, friends and perhaps even share with others.  We all leave our mark on this world, some of us live very quietly and pass through without making deep impressions, or so we think.  Realize that each and every person has people in their lives that they touch each day.  Just as you are affected by the people that surround you, so too do you affect them.  Much like the ripples on the water, starting from a tiny point of contact, all it takes is a small touch, and the ripples grow and spread out reaching further than we realize.

Cherry Coley ©