What will your legacy be?

Recently I received word of the passing of two ladies who had each seen over 7 decades of life here on earth.  One lived a life that poured forth love, compassion, gratitude, and joy no matter what she faced in life.  People poured in upon news of her illness and she had constant companionship, whether aware or not.  The love she'd shown each person with whom she'd come in contact was as a Stone dropped into a pond where it's impact sent wave upon wave ever expanding and reaching those who would never meet her, but benefited from the love of God she allowed to overflow from her heart toward others.  Her legacy remains, she is missed, but those who knew her are even more vigilant to pay it forward.

The other woman lived a life wherein she "told it like it was" through her eyes, when a friend or family member was absent there were sure to be unkind words or judgments, and she was clear about who she liked and did not.  She had several children, though nearby, not frequent visitors as she'd worked her "magic" on their spouses and children as well.  Her unkindness was legendary.  Visitors had trickled down to an obligated few.  Her legacy.  

I am grateful for the opportunity to have known each of the women.  I learned from both; inspired by one and through necessity with the other.  I offer these verses as they came to me so clearly. 

" ¹ If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body ^[a]to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, ⁶ does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ^7 [b]bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  ⁸ Love never fails..." (1 Corinthians 13: 1-8a)

 

God bless you as you step forward, continuing your own legacy creation.