Legacy

[su****]

"When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed
And don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory
Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest"

- Linkin Park

 

As a kid, I thought life would last for ever - until my grandfather died.

He was a great person with a horse farm, so he took responsibility for animals and he taught me the spirit of helping each other in a family or in a village, when haymaking for example or when a neighbor needed help cutting down some trees.

Growing up, I realized he can't help the family or the neighborhood anymore, so I decided to take his place and do it for him. And that makes me proud, because it keeps him alive through my hands.

 

Watching my grandmother becoming weaker, I decided to do the same for her.

She is known for her excellent chocolate cream cake, so I asked her to teach me making it and she did.

 

Thinking about this, I'm asking myself: "What will I leave behind some day?".

 

What would you like to leave behind?

[Li****]

I totally agree that you can carry on doing something the person did, and it's a great way to honour their memory and feel closer to them 💚  I do the same thing as you mention with your grandmother, I still use some of her recipes and it makes me feel as if she's with me in a way. I know she would like it 😊 

I also think it's important to remember those close to us who have passed away, and talk about them with others who knew them. When it comes to relatives, it also makes it interesting since you can learn how you inherited a trait from a grandparent for example. Talking about their personality or something they were good at, and you realise you do that too! 

[Tine]

Legacy - that's a big one.

As I don't have kids my hope is that what I learned, how I grew will somehow inspire people I met and live on through them. Not in a grandiose way but in subtle ways and without my name attached. Maybe how someone saw me respond in a calmer way to an otherwise triggering situation, a thoughtful advise I gave, or how I made someone feel. Maybe I stayed light-hearted and open in a tough situation which was surprising but helpful - some small things that showed that we have a choice in how we relate to the world.