Tuesday, April 26, 2005

The legacy we leave

My wife and I attended a funeral today for a young mother who passed away very unexpectedly. It goes without saying that this is a tragedy beyond words. It also goes without saying that it leaves us all wondering about the worth of our own lives, and what we will all, individually and collectively, leave behind for the generations that follow us.

I had no answers as we walked back to the car to head home to our kids. All I could do was hug them, hard, when we came through the door.

At the end of the day, what we leave behind transcends the material. Our legacy lies in the spirit we share with those around us. If you are a parent, let your children know that you love them beyond words. If you're not, do the same with family and friends. Maybe that's all we can do to ensure our time here somehow serves a higher purpose.

2 comments:

Lisa said...

My thoughts exactly. Perfectly said.

kenju said...

All very true, Carmi. Never a day goes by that I don't tell my children how much I love them - and they are not young anymore.