Leaving a Legacy-Support What You Love
Long after we have left the physical world, our life is perpetuated through the memories of those who knew us. Our immortality is created by the nature of our actions. I think most of us want to be remembered as a loving spouse or partner, a devoted family member, and a supportive friend. I am present on a daily basis to how I am interacting with the people around me, and whether I am leaving them with a positive experience of me. I am aware that I alone am responsible for the kind of memories I leave with others.
So often we speak of someone in terms of what they did in their career and their work achievements. Many a person has created a legacy by writing a best-selling novel, developing a new technology, championing human rights, or demonstrating amazing athleticism. Others leave a simpler legacy, perhaps being remembered as the guy who never complained at work or the woman who had a smile for every customer. It is through our work that we have one of the largest opportunities to create our immortality and to perpetuate our existence.
If something comes to life in others because of you, then you have made an approach to immortality.
Norman Cousins
The great theoretical physicist and best-selling author Michio Kaku is credited with the expression “We should try to leave the world a better place than when we entered it.” In the concluding chapter of his book Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos, Dr. Kaku writes:
As individuals, we can make a difference, whether it is to probe the secrets of Nature, to clean up the environment and work for peace and social justice, or to nurture the inquisitive, vibrant spirit of the young by being a mentor and a guide.
Beyond love and work as a measure of the significance of our life, another way to leave a legacy is by contributing money or the equivalent to a charitable cause that reflects your values. Perhaps leaving money to your alma mater, in the form of an endowed scholarship, or setting up a donor-advised fund to support your favorite non-profit organization. You don’t need to be wealthy to leave behind a symbol of your life. Some people adopt a bench at their favorite hiking area, donate a flag and flag pole to a school, or have a tree planted in their name at a local park. Everyone has the ability to put their stamp on the future. It’s a way to make some meaning of your existence, one that says, “Yes, world of the future, I was here. Here’s my contribution, here’s why I hope my life mattered.”
What will YOU leave as a legacy and a tribute to your life?
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