Defining My Legacy

"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work... I want to achieve it through not dying."

- Woody Allen -

The last couple of weeks have brought frequent news of celebrity passings and news of some non-celebrity deaths closer to home. I spent the morning at a funeral last week. Merv will spend the evening at another tonight. My sister lost a co-worker, the friend of a friend lost a son. More than a billion people watched the Michael Jackson memorial yesterday. Today the business oriented social media site, Linked-In, is filled with questions about how we would like to be remembered and what legacy we want to leave the world.

I actually gave this matter quite a lot of thought a few years ago when I attended the funeral of a friend's family member. The deceased woman's son gave a wonderful eulogy for his mom and it set me to thinking about what my son would say about me and what I want to be able to say to myself in the last days of my life. I got pretty clear about what I want others to say about me but it took a bit longer to really connect with the other part. Nothing like a cancer diagnosis to give me a bit more clarity around that one.

For myself, I want a life lived fully and richly. I've tended to think there was a lot of time to do the things I really want to do and see the things I really want to see. I'd still like to think that there are many years ahead, but the unexpected deaths of 50 year old celebrities makes me think maybe I should seize the moment just in case. (Note to self - start checking out airfare to Italy.)

As to what I want others to say about me, I go to the heart of what I value most - motherhood, family, friends and service. I want Jacob to say I did my best to give him the best. That he was well loved, and well-raised. I want my family and friends to say I had a warm and generous heart.

And somewhere, in some way, I want to leave my mark on the world. To know that I left it a better place on my way out than it was on my way in. I haven't quite figured that part out yet but I hope I have a lot of years to work on it.