2014 Week 11: Legacy
What legacy will you leave?
What do you want people to think about when they hear your name and
remember one day when you are gone? I’ve
been mulling over these questions lately, and I’ll let you in on the reason
why.
Admittedly this post is a little late this week—but for good
reason. I mean who doesn’t celebrate St.
Patrick’s Day?! This holiday has a
special place in my heart. And though
yes, I have Irish blood running through my veins from both my mother and
father’s sides of the family, the main reason this holiday is special is because
of my great Aunt Mary.
I grew up living across the street from Aunt Mary from the
time I can remember until the 5th grade. She was a critical piece of my family. Aunt Mary was tiny (well, in height anyway),
she was single her whole life, was Irish to the core, and she could cook like
Martha Stewart, Aunt Jamima, and that angry guy on Hell’s Kitchen all rolled
into one! Aunt Mary was a little
cantankerous at times, and frequently she would shoo us kids out of her way
when she was rushing around the kitchen.
But here’s the one thing that made an indelible mark on my life: Aunt
Mary’s door was always open. It didn’t
matter what day or time we would trot over and ring her doorbell (which we did
constantly), we were always welcome. In
fact, every time I visited she made me feel like I had just made her entire
day.
I remember my sister and I racing over to her house one day
after school soaked from getting caught in the rain. Yes, of course we had to walk to school rain
or shine because we were tough children of the 80s (well, 70s officially, but
80s by the time we hit school). Aunt Mary welcomed us in, toweled us off, and
let us take turns wearing that cool spacey contraption that was like a combo
hairdryer/ugly hat. Aunt Mary hosted the
major holidays—all the extended family would gather around her. And let me tell you, she was the most popular
woman in town during Christmas. EVERYONE
had a present for Aunt Mary! Aunt Mary
made a huge impact on my life—and every single St. Patrick’s Day I remember her
with much gratitude for all the richness she added to my world.
So this brings me back to my original questions—how will
others remember me when I’m gone? What
is my legacy? I can’t say I have
entirely figured out the answer to this, but one thing I know—I want people to
say that this world was a better place because I was in it. I desire to leave this planet and the people
in it in better shape than when I arrived.
I would like those who know me to say I laughed often, I loved deeply,
and I lived boldly. As I read this back,
I can’t say that I’ve arrived or earned each of these statements just yet. So let this be the legacy towards which I
strive.
41 Weeks left--here's to making them last!
41 Weeks left--here's to making them last!
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