Living a Legacy

I hope you noticed that the post isn't titled Living Legacy, but Living a Legacy.

Last week's death and burial of Billy Graham and all of the things said about his life got me wondering about how we might be remembered when it's our turn to go. The Reverend Graham appears to have lived the life he preached about. From those closest to him to those that had casual contact, all seem to testify that he was indeed, a man of God.

I'm reminded that we will be remembered by the way we have lived. If you want to be remembered as a kind and loving person, you need to live as a kind and loving person. If you are living life as a grumpy, negative person, chances are good that you will be remembered as a grumpy and negative person.

For some people, I believe they would rather be remembered in a negative way than not be remembered at all. It's sad, but they'll probably get their wish.

There's a saying that says --
If your absence doesn't affect them, your presence never mattered.

Other than being remembered as a nice guy by some or a jerk by a few more, I think that this humbling little sentiment applies to most of us.
Sure, we'd like to think that we have some grand worth or value, but mostly we go through life and exist for the moment until the moment is gone. The people we interact with every day will miss our presence for a time, but time goes on and they will develop a new normal without us. The people that we only interact with occasionally, will barely notice that those occasional interactions never occur anymore.

I'm pretty sure that the people I used to work with, the people I used to go to church with, the people I used to (fill in the blank) with -- rarely, if ever, think about John.
There's always the hope that my presence mattered to a few people. I doubt that will mean that absence will have a great effect; it will just be nice to be remembered fondly by a few people.

Maybe we all need to be more concerned with how people feel about our presence while we are
...well, present.
Are we the kind of person that brings life and energy to a room, or the kind of person that makes other look for an excuse to leave?
Does our presence add to others, or are we a taker; sucking the life and energy out of people?
Is each moment about us, or do we make others feel important?

I've been thinking about a couple of old friends lately. I think I'll make a contact -- just to let them know that they made an impact; that their presence mattered.

John <><