Legacy

Whenever I attend an end of life ceremony, it invariably causes me to take stock of my own life. I hear the loved ones of the deceased speaking such tearful and heartfelt memories. They talk about gifts given that will linger on long past the departure of the physical presence.

What words will be spoken after I draw my final breath?

It's hard to assess with any real clarity how others feel about and perceive us. The smallest action, unknowingly taken, can have vast and rippling effects, completely hidden to the initiator. Some of the most impactful events cannot be expressed in words, and therefore go unsaid.

What words would I choose to be spoken?

Every person has their own unique set of values and traits. Highest on my list are things like kindness, love, compassion, acceptance. If I could select any traits to be remembered, it would be these. That everyone in my life felt some variation on those things that I hold most dear.

What power do we have over how we are remembered?

Perception is a tricky thing. No matter how hard we try, the image of us in the minds and lives of others is subject to their particular lens. The only power that remains to us is to live true to our internal compass. We will be valued by those who value the same things.

In memory of Gord Hope, 1954-2016