A legacy that lives on...

"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example." -Benjamin Diraeli (British Prime Minister and Novelist)

R.I.P. Mr. Micheal Jackson. You have touched more lives than you will ever know. You will be remembered!

So Micheal Jackson passed away suddenly yesterday. No one expected it. No one believed it. A whole world of mourning started when the LA coroners office confirmed the awful truth. Micheal Jackson had passed away at the age of 50 from cardiac arrest.

The sudden passing of Mr. MJ cause me to start to think about who he was, what he meant to so many people, his tormented soul, but most of all the legacy he left, for his children, family, and the world to respect and with which to live.

No one knows when his time on Earth is up. It's already written when you will go, but the MAN above is the only person with the key to those records. Because your knowledge of the end of your existence is unknown, you must always prepare for this to be your last day. Add to your legacy every day you are here.

For MJ, as troubled as he was, everyday was just an addition to the legacy he left us with starting yesterday. And ultimately the legacy you leave is what matters. What will people say about you when you are gone? Did you make enough of an impression for the wrongs you did to be forgotten? What will your obituary/eulogy say? If you live your life as if you are creating a legacy, those won't be questions.

When I was thinking about the quote above, I pondered how to dissect it. Wondered about the meanings of the word legacy then I realized the word "HERO". A pretty strong word with which to start the quote. Actually, this word in the quote almost made me read on to more quotes to find the right quote of the day. Then I realized that a hero doesn't have to be a president or a firefighter or hold any title other than their name. You may be a hero to your child, to a neighbor, to your mother. My son, for example is a hero to my mom. Anyone can hold the title hero and not even be aware. Heroism again is in the eye of the beholder.

So this quote is not limiting at all. The quote actual makes you think more deeply about its meaning when you delve into the word "Hero" a little more.

When creating your legacy, you must remind yourself of it daily. Make sure that all of your actions are a staircase to the legacy you wish to leave. Outsiders should perceive your actions as a part of who you are and what you represent. If you want to be remembered for being a hard worker, well, you work hard. If you want people to acknowledge your extreme faith, you walk every road with God. However, you can't just do the actions, you must let it be known, be proud of your abilities to resemble that characteristic. If you make every action an example of the legacy you wish to leave, you have no choice but to create that existence for yourself. If you work diligently at it, you will be the example in people's life of what that characteristic means. Just like Micheal was a Pop Icon and a Music Mastery. People in your inner circle will use you as the example of that trait. Remember Karey...she was what a good mother, teacher, hard worker...should be.

Which leads me to my next point, you must create your legacy by example. You want your name to be valued and known and for your children to remember you as a wonderful person. The way to do that is to make sure you are a positive example to them. Make sure that if you want them to be a hard worker, you work hard. If you want them to be a lover and peacemaker, you do those things as well. The ultimate goal is to create a legacy the people you are leaving it for will live by, thus making their legacy when they're gone even stronger.

You must leave them with the idea to treasure so that they too will want the same for their families and so on. Your legacy paves the path for legacies after you and after them. Be an example of what you want that legacy to be perceived as and stick to it. None of this "Do as I say not as I do" mentality. Lead your family and people who love you down the right path whether through your personal path or through the legacy you leave when you are gone.

Think about what you want your legacy to be and start living it today. Your not alone, I'm starting this today too.

I want to be known for being a WONDERFUL caretaker, a great mother, a peacemaker, a hard worker, someone who doesn't complain and gets the job done, a Christ lover, a kind spirit, humorous, someone who is confident and walks with their head held high, a goal setter and seeker. I am going to start being a better example of these things today!

Happy legacy making! :)