“What is your legacy?”
Each year on my birthday, this question seeps into my mind. Sometimes its a quiet whisper on my heart, nudging me to reflect on years past. Other times it’s a blaring siren, calling me to stop and see my impact in real time.
Am I living my life to the greatest intention?
Am I being true to the calling of my passion and purpose?
What changes are needed to make this year the best one yet?
The first time the word “legacy” had a direct impact on my thinking was back in 1992 when I joined the Zeta Tau Alpha fraternity in college. I was enamored with the idea of being part of a family that passed down values and traditions from one to another. I remember thinking, “If I have a daughter someday, she could be a ZTA, too!” I embraced the ZTA creed to “look for the good in everyone” and made their motto “Seek the Noblest” my personal mantra.
While ZTA eliminated their Legacy Policy this past summer as part of their recruitment considerations, and my daughter had absolutely no interest in joining a sorority in college, I still carry the vision of values and traditions to this day. I find great joy in celebrating people and milestones. I am uplifted in the service of others. I try to make this world a little bit brighter than the day before. (Although, that can be challenging sometimes!)
As a parent, I create traditions and pass-downs of my own, especially for birthdays. I always decorate my kitchen the night before to honor the birthday child. Streamers. Balloons. Birthday plate and placemat. The birthday child chooses whatever they want for breakfast and we continue the celebration with gifts and a birthday dinner at their desired restaurant. Birthdays are such a big deal in my world that we actually designate fall as “Birthday Season” with my children and I celebrating our birthdays in September and October alongside birthdays of grandparents, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and extended family and friends.
Birthdays are such an incredible time of year. You were BORN! What a grand cause for celebration! You were given the breath of life to learn and grow from infant to child, from teen to adult, and the world simply would not be the same without you. How amazing is it to pause in the hustle and bustle of life and stand in the space of wonder for all you’ve accomplished and all you’ve yet to become!
What is your legacy?
What are the things that bring you great joy? Where do you find your value – in work? Family? Friends? How have you made this world a better place for yourself and for others?
As many of you know, my 40th birthday was a banner year of celebration – not only for entering a new decade, but for sparking my “40 RAKs for 40 years” kindness blog where I documented 40 random acts of kindness I completed that year. Since that time this blog space has grown and expanded to include stories of additional experiences: education, motherhood, and the highs and lows of life.
Seven years after this blog began, you celebrated with me as I published my first book. You also remind me of the importance of defining a legacy. (Did you know that my book has been added to more than 35 libraries around the world including Howard University, the U.S. Air Force Academy, Boston Library, and libraries in Ecuador, South Africa, New Zealand, and Singapore? WOW!) You’ve traveled with me as a faithful reader, through a multitude of seasons, and encourage me to keep writing. For that I am eternally grateful!
You’ve also blessed me in ways I can never repay. You’ve given me small glimpses of the legacy I will one day leave behind, from the emails you send in response to my stories to the greetings you share in social media. I am humbled time and time again when I receive a message from you, whether it’s a kindness story you wanted to share, a heart you found in an unusual place, or a simple “Happy Birthday!” greeting you post. Some of you have even gone to great extremes to remind me of my value, like my work spouse, Maureen, who created a “50 Reasons Why” jar filled with memories of our friendship and the impact I’ve had on her life.
You, my dear friends, are part of my legacy!
As I begin my 49th year around the sun (or 50th year for those who insist on counting from Day 1), I am blessed beyond measure and grateful with every fiber of my being. What a joy to have another day on this earth – an extended opportunity to add to the legacy of what will one day be memories and snapshots of a life well-lived.
To quote one of my favorite lines from the musical, Hamilton:
“What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.”
-Lin Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Thank you so much for helping me catch a glimpse of the legacy I will one day leave behind. What a gift you have given me! Here’s to another year to lead, love, and learn!
