Live Your Legacy

 

 

On this same day as I am gathering via teleconference, I learn of my great aunt passing away. I sit in silence after we prayed together for one of our dear sisters to be strengthened. I am in reflection, thinking about life once again as I did during the previous week when I learned of someone who ended their life on Wednesday. Then, someone else whose life ended on Friday of natural causes. Here, I am on Tuesday when this news finds me. This is the third life that ends that I hear of in less than a week. My reflection is not completely on the loss of life at its end, yet, I am reflecting on the loss of life as we live. If we knew what our end would be, would we be wasters of time? Or rather, how would we spend our time if we knew how much of it we really had on our journey? My reflection carried me in a couple different directions. For starters, what crossed my mind was the verse in Psalm 90: 10, 12 that says,

“We live for 70 years, or 80 years if we’re healthy, yet even in

the prime years there are troubles and sorrow. They pass us by quickly

and we fly away… Teach us to keep account of our days so

we may develop inner wisdom.”

What also came to mind was the poem called “The Dash” written by Linda Ellis (to honor copyright laws, you will find the link for the poem at the end of this post). I began reflecting on our legacy that we build and/or create with the life we live which is determined by how we spend our time every day. My great aunt worked for many years for a company that she was able to retire from, however, she will probably be most remembered in different ways that have nothing to do with her day job. My interpretation of a large part of my aunt’s life was that of sacrifice and unconditional love. That is the lesson that she taught me from living her life daily. Now, that is quite noble to me and maybe even others would agree; however, I wonder what others would define that dash to be. Or, what is the legacy of the person that decides that it is their time to leave this earth, or the one whose life ends at the hands of a violent act being committed against them? This just literally came to me… Did you know that every life echoes messages after it has come to an end here on earth? Think about it… everyone you know that has passed on, what do you remember most about them? This message is what was created as an echo from them to you. Deep, huh? What are you doing with that echo? More personally, what is your legacy? How are you building it now? What are you creating it to be? Are you living out your dash and doing what you would like to be remembered for? Are you making the impact you so desire? My goal is to live beyond the 80 years, as stated in the psalm above, because there is so much for me to do, experience and create as my legacy unfolds. I want my dash to be great, not just because, but for those who will come behind me and stand on my shoulders. I want to be great because I feel like there are so many encounters that still have yet to be manifested. I want to die empty. Yes emptied… having used all the resources I was given in the form of gifts, talents, special abilities and honed skills. I want the lives of others to be greater because I was here! Sure, we can work in positions to manage what we own, a certain lifestyle, etc. I get it… our jobs are a means to an end and serve a purpose. Yet, if you are not making an impact where you work and spend time, then what will you be a part of that will open the door or crack the window to you making an impact in the lives of someone else? We do not live just for us! That is not our purpose here. As I get older and I hear of people leaving and transitioning, I can truly see how much life matters. It truly does matter. I lost an aunt, it matters. I gained a new little cousin, it matters. One life ended on one day, and the next day another life began. That is the true cycle of life. We must begin to deeply consider what we do in between our beginning and our ending to clearly define what our legacy will be as we live and when we fly away.

Click the link below to read the poem...
"The Dash" by Linda Ellis http://www.linda-ellis.com/the-dash-the-dash-poem-by-linda-ellis-.html

Please post in the comments to share how you're going to live your legacy- now and in the future!