HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?
A study revealed that during the Korean War, 21 soldiers defected to Communism. After the war a study revealed reasons for the defections. Nineteen felt unloved or unwanted by their father or stepfather, among other things. It showed that the problems were more than a lack of patriotism.
What kind of legacy are you instilling in the hearts and lives of your family and friends? A simple exercise to complete is…ON MY
It is worth the time to think about it because how you want to be remembered, you do or need to live that way. It does not happen over night. The relationships the soldiers had with their fathers did not just happen.
If you feel courageous, you may want to ask family members or friends what they would put on your tombstone. Would there be consistency in what they say and what you would put down?
The story of James Henry Smith is interested. He so loved the
His family and friends wanted to remember him that way.
John Wooden, the legendary college basketball coach was asked how he wanted to be remembered. “I certainly don’t want to be remembered for trophies and (10) national championships. I hope people remember me as one who was kind and considerate of others” Here is a man of ninety-two years, one of the most successful coaches of all time in any sport and he wants to be remembered as one who was kind and considerate. Observing him, he will be remembered that way along with his accomplishments.
Reality is we do leave some sort of legacy. It is pretty sad when after someone’s body is lowered into the ground, our next thoughts are what kind of potato salad is being serving at the meal following the funeral. The great thing is we get to choose what kind of legacy we want to leave, then live it every day.
The vast majority of the time the way we are remembered is our character qualities. So if we do want to be remembered somewhat by our accomplishments too, then we need to be consistent in both character and accomplishment.
Is there something in your life that you feel so burdened to do that it consumes your life? What are your abilities and joys in life? What makes your heart sing? What qualities in a person’s life do you most admire? Answering these questions can help you shape in a phrase or sentence what you want to be remembered for.
Recently I grabbed a Pepsi at a graduation party and on the can, it stated, “Have you left your mark?” Have you???
ILLUSTRATION
The Nobel Peace Prize is the supreme award given to those who have made an exceptional contribution to the betterment of the world. Other prizes are given to those who have made outstanding contributions in the arts and sciences. There is a story about the Nobel prize that is rarely ever told.
Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist, made his fortune by inventing powerful explosives and licensing the formula to governments to make weapons. One day Nobel’s brother died, and a newspaper by accident printed an obituary notice for Alfred instead of his deceased brother.
It identified him as the inventor of dynamite who made a fortune by enabling armies to achieve new levels of mass destruction. Nobel had the unique opportunity to read his own obituary in his lifetime and to see how he would be remembered. He was shocked to think that this was what his life would add up to: he would be remembered as a merchant of death and destruction.
He took his fortune and used it to establish the awards for accomplishments contributing to life rather than death. And today, Nobel indeed is remembered for his contributions to peace and human achievement – not explosives.
(More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks, p129, Wayne Rice)
QUOTES ON LEGACY
A person can have no better epitaph than that which is inscribed in the hearts of his friends. Unknown
When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight, not for present use only; let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for. John Ruskin
A legacy will transcend to those we will never see. That causes me to have a mind-set that is beyond death. Most people are attempting to survive death; if that is all, death has already won. Ron Hyatt
