Leaving a Legacy
My grandmother passed away last week and my little family unit and I traveled "home" to pay our respects. I wasn't really sure what I was going to say, do or how I was going to feel. My grandmother lived a long and happy and loved filled life. Her passing into the spiritual world made for an amazing celebration of her life.
WOW. What a legacy she left! 8 children, 32 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren and would you believe it but also 4 great-GREAT-grandchildren!! What. A. Legacy.
When I was growing up, I didn't know how rare it was to have such a huge extended family. Our 4th of July picnics were like giant family reunions. But nothing out of the ordinary for me. Now, I get it. I understand how unique my extended family truly is.
This really isn't a post about my grandmother, though she probably deserves one, I will leave that to her obituary that cited all of her amazing accomplishments in her 94 years on this earth.
No, this post is about living your life. Yes, Betty was lucky to have over 9 decades here to LIVE. To enjoy. To love. To care. To have faith. It just makes me realize how precious our time really is. Do you go through the motions every day? Do you hide away and make excuses for why you can't do things? Do you LIVE your life?
I love listening to the Christian group, Point of Grace. They have this song that really just hits home for me... it's called Turn Up the Music. Some of my favorite lyrics go like this,
It should be the theme song for our lives. Why DO we only use our good dishes once a year, and why do we spend so much time looking back, when we should be looking forward, turning up the music, taking chances, and certainly saying what we really need to say.
So, here is what I need to say...
Yes, it's true, there will be people you will have to cut out of your life in order to truly enjoy YOUR life. The negative people, the ones that cannot get past their own shame and guilt so they set out to make you feel like garbage. The people that no matter what, cannot be happy for your success, for your happiness, the ones that spew their own flaws out of their mouths to you just because they can't stand to look in the mirror and realize they are drowning in their own negativity. Those people... they will have to deal with their Maker when the time comes. Don't let those people weigh you down. Don't let those people ruin your minute, your hour, your day, your LIFE.
YOUR. LIFE.
I recently had an encounter with such a person. Someone who clearly has many of his own issues to deal with. Instead of internalizing them, he chose to hurt people close to me. I have gone through the series of emotions with the encounter (as we will call it)... anger, hurt, fear, but now... it is just pity. I feel sorry for him. And maybe he realizes now his negativity is childish... but I'm going to guess he doesn't. People like him are way too caught up in making others miserable. But me? I forgive him. I forgive him for his hateful, spiteful, immature behavior... because that is what is was. I forgive him, even though he has not asked for it. I forgive him so I can be done. I forgive him in my heart and I am moving on with my life. Because I am happy with where I am. And I know I want to live a positive life to the best of my ability... he robbed me of a few days... but not anymore. I will continue to be kind and continue to build an amazing life to leave behind someday. My own legacy. Though, it won't be as large as my grandmother's... I hope it to be full of happiness and love and understanding and faith.
Do you want to look back and wonder what happened to your legacy? Or are you going to look back during your last moments on earth and know that you lived a GOOD life?
~JOSLIN
WOW. What a legacy she left! 8 children, 32 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren and would you believe it but also 4 great-GREAT-grandchildren!! What. A. Legacy.
When I was growing up, I didn't know how rare it was to have such a huge extended family. Our 4th of July picnics were like giant family reunions. But nothing out of the ordinary for me. Now, I get it. I understand how unique my extended family truly is.
This really isn't a post about my grandmother, though she probably deserves one, I will leave that to her obituary that cited all of her amazing accomplishments in her 94 years on this earth.
No, this post is about living your life. Yes, Betty was lucky to have over 9 decades here to LIVE. To enjoy. To love. To care. To have faith. It just makes me realize how precious our time really is. Do you go through the motions every day? Do you hide away and make excuses for why you can't do things? Do you LIVE your life?
I love listening to the Christian group, Point of Grace. They have this song that really just hits home for me... it's called Turn Up the Music. Some of my favorite lyrics go like this,
"...Wake up to the sunlight with your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want but want what you have And don't spend your life lookin back
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
And let it all out
Cause you won't regret it
Lookin back from where you have been
Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you lived"
It should be the theme song for our lives. Why DO we only use our good dishes once a year, and why do we spend so much time looking back, when we should be looking forward, turning up the music, taking chances, and certainly saying what we really need to say.
So, here is what I need to say...
Yes, it's true, there will be people you will have to cut out of your life in order to truly enjoy YOUR life. The negative people, the ones that cannot get past their own shame and guilt so they set out to make you feel like garbage. The people that no matter what, cannot be happy for your success, for your happiness, the ones that spew their own flaws out of their mouths to you just because they can't stand to look in the mirror and realize they are drowning in their own negativity. Those people... they will have to deal with their Maker when the time comes. Don't let those people weigh you down. Don't let those people ruin your minute, your hour, your day, your LIFE.
YOUR. LIFE.
I recently had an encounter with such a person. Someone who clearly has many of his own issues to deal with. Instead of internalizing them, he chose to hurt people close to me. I have gone through the series of emotions with the encounter (as we will call it)... anger, hurt, fear, but now... it is just pity. I feel sorry for him. And maybe he realizes now his negativity is childish... but I'm going to guess he doesn't. People like him are way too caught up in making others miserable. But me? I forgive him. I forgive him for his hateful, spiteful, immature behavior... because that is what is was. I forgive him, even though he has not asked for it. I forgive him so I can be done. I forgive him in my heart and I am moving on with my life. Because I am happy with where I am. And I know I want to live a positive life to the best of my ability... he robbed me of a few days... but not anymore. I will continue to be kind and continue to build an amazing life to leave behind someday. My own legacy. Though, it won't be as large as my grandmother's... I hope it to be full of happiness and love and understanding and faith.
Do you want to look back and wonder what happened to your legacy? Or are you going to look back during your last moments on earth and know that you lived a GOOD life?
Help yourself by taking a few moments right now to drop the negative people from your life. Take a deep breath. Forgive them. And move on.
In the words of (the new) Cinderella, BE KIND to those around you AND HAVE COURAGE to let the negative ones go.
~JOSLIN
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