Marian’s memorial service featured standing room only. I listened to attendees eagerly praise my friend and asked myself some hard questions. How many people would my own funeral draw, and what would people say about me?
We’re warned not to compare ourselves to others, but in this case it did me good. Marian had mentored me in life, and she still had something to teach me after her death. She’d been setting her legacy into motion for years by investing time and energy in other people. Her efforts now blossomed beautifully as person after person declared.
A close friend of mine recently underwent brain surgery to remove a (thankfully benign) tumor. Literally thousands of people were praying for Kathleen. Their concern for her welfare testified to her kind and giving nature. Kathleen is usually first to cheer on another person. She honors her husband, children, extended family, and friends in glowing terms, over and over again.
If you know a people-person, you might already understand how hard it is to match that degree of enthusiasm. If I tried to copy them, I’d fall short. That doesn’t give me a pass, though. I could and should do more for others.
My goal is to be more like Kathleen and Marian. Living my legacy now is far better than hoping vaguely to leave one later. Deciding what that should look like is important. We all leave a legacy, whether for good or bad. I want to make a positive difference for others. Each of us has gifts to give. Mine aren’t the same as Marian’s and Kathleen’s, yours will differ from mine, and that’s beautiful.
Have you, like me, let your involvement in others’ lives slip? In these rushed times, it’s easy to do. I’m slowing down my life so I can actually live it. Feeling like I’m trying to board a moving train is exhausting and dangerous. I alone control the commitments I make and the activities I take on. I’m not perfect by any means. I make mistakes, certainly. But bit by bit, I’m moving toward this goal.
For more of my thoughts on this topic, read What mark will you leave?
