Sunday, December 8, 2019

A Legacy

Mr. Davis was one of my favorite patients. He was 87 but boy was he lively. He had been at the elderly home since my first day almost 6 years ago. He often joked about how we “started our sentences here at the same time.” Mr. Davis was always kind. When I would come in to bring him his medicine he would be up and ready for me with a question of the day. I really looked forward to those every morning. They were usually silly questions to make me laugh or ethical dilemmas to make me think. I remember one morning he rang for me. When I got to the room I noticed something different about him. His expression was somber. Barely turning over in his bed to look at me, he muttered, “Nurse Luna, I have a question.” When I asked him what was on his mind, he responded, “Do you think it’s too late for me to go to college?” Surprised at his question, I replied “Umm… No, no I don’t think so. There may be some online classes you could take. Do you have a high school diploma or G.E.D?” Timidly he answered, “I never really made it past 7th grade. I’ve been working my whole life just to survive. And now that I have time to think about it, it bothers me that I never got around to going back to school. I’ve always wanted to be a history teacher. I love showing people how connected the past, present, and future really are. Looking back, I know I did what I had to do, but I feel like I never got a chance to do what I really wanted to.” With great despair, he rolled back over in his bed and faced the wall. I know that age doesn’t define us, but sometimes things take time to develop, time that we are not guaranteed. I’ve always felt like the only thing I couldn’t help my patients heal from was regret.
Photographer: Karen Alfaro
In today's society, many of us find ourselves stuck in what we consider "the rat race". Constantly working to slowly attain more resources and power. Every day we complete the same routine of getting up, getting ready, going to work or school, and coming home to do it all again the following day. Some argue that leisure time is a luxury afforded only to the monetarily wealthy. For others, it feels like creating time for your passions or to engage with your calling on a regular basis, is not realistic. So instead, we allow ourselves to neglect what we want to do in order to do what we feel we must do. There is no in-between, and there can be no compromise. Although this line of reasoning makes sense from a survival standpoint, it may require us to sacrifice something very important. Living in this way can often cause us to forfeit the legacy we could have created in order to elevate those who will come after us in some way. Most times, we get so caught up in the present moment that we forget that our individual lives are also part of a larger humanity. We also fail to realize that had it not been for those who came before us answering their call and leaving behind a legacy, we may not be where we are today. 

To some, especially young people, a legacy is something to be considered later on in life. It can even be seen as something that is developed after you are gone, rather than something you spend your whole life actively creating. Unfortunately, this perspective allows us to take a more passive role in terms of what we will be remembered for. If we believe that we don't have much control over our legacy, we are less likely to do the things we need to in order to shape it. Essentially, we become comfortable with letting life happen to us, rather than navigating through it with intention. Our legacy is created by the summation of things we spend most of our time doing, whether positive or negative. Therefore, one of the most important aspects of shaping the narrative of our legacy is to spend a significant amount of time doing the things that inspire the change we would like to see. When we do so, we experience a level of satisfaction that can only come from tapping into our purpose. This feeling then becomes the driving force behind the conception and actualization of our legacy.

Although it can be difficult, creating a lifestyle in which your legacy is directly connected to your occupation can be an ideal situation. On the other hand, if this is not the case, it is up to us to prioritize what we feel is most important. Even if we do not currently have the resources we need to make the impact we have imagined, taking baby steps toward this is progress. For example, if someone would like their legacy to center around the work they did to decrease world hunger, they may begin by simply feeding one person a day. It doesn't have to be one big extravagant gesture, but rather several small gestures that impact many over time. If someone wants their legacy to be one that exemplifies kindness and compassion, they can begin by encouraging and supporting the people they often come in contact with throughout the week. By consistently doing the things you believe in, your legacy is being cultivated in the present, rather than waiting until you are part of the past. When your intentions are pure, people are able to see that and may decide to align with your mission, consequently assisting in its manifestation. Remember that there is no right or wrong time to consider what you would like your legacy to be. However, the sooner you define it and begin constructing it, the more space you give it to grow and evolve with you throughout your life. In the end, you won't look over your life thinking about all the things you would have, or should have done. Instead, you will be able to look out over the garden you planted. You will be able to witness it blossom as other people continue to water it, making you an eternal part of the landscape of humanity. So what kind of seeds do you intend to plant?


All Power & Love To The People,

Shani



No comments:

Post a Comment