“A man is not completely born until he is dead.” These contradictory words come from the epitome himself, Benjamin Franklin. Taken on face value, Franklin may be saying a life is not truly lived until the very end which is accurate, but this may be shown in a different light. Each man and woman born onto this earth leads two lives; one where he/she is physically alive and breathing and the life carried out through their legacy left behind. Although not all legacies can be as great as those like Benjamin Franklin or Walt Whitman, each individual leaves a unique footprint held on sometimes by historical recounts, but many times through the memories of close family and friends.
Life is a much more complex subject than the average person perceives it to be. Each person that is born and dies on this earth will lead two lives which may be very different from each other or very closely related. During the physical time a person has on this earth, he/she can tell their stories in a way that allows for the ideal perception. Once a person has passed on, the stories shift into the hands of the
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He would not only be remembered by those who were his close relatives and friends, but a nation filled with several generations. Of course not many people have this kind of historical weight on a society, but those who do will leave a lasting impression for many years to come. Franklin’s words hint to his knowledge of his own weight on society's to follow. Franklin is not the only one to have this type of future incite. People such as Adolf Hitler and Albert Einstein knew they would be talked about for years and years after their death. Barack Obama and Donald Trump know they will be talked about heavily in the subject of politics for years to come. Whether it is positive or negative, it is in human nature to do things simply to be remembered and create a response from those around the