The Gift Of Years: Legacy By Joan Chittester

In this article, “The Gift of Years: Legacy,” the author Joan Chittester reflects on the importance of leaving a legacy behind. By legacy, she does not mean this in tangible items, monetary form, or an insurance policy. She discusses the immaterial legacy that is shaped by our actions on how we live our lives each day. She brings to light the question of whether we are living our lives in a way that we would want people to remember us. Because whether we want them to or not, people will remember; they will recall if we selflessly acted in kindness or if we acted in cruel or selfish ways. The author states, “we leave behind our attitude toward the world. We are remembered for whether or not we inspired in others a love for life and an openness

Most of us crave for purpose and meaning in what we do. I lived my life for several years unhappy and hoping for change. It is our everyday actions and what we choose or not choose to do that shape the way that we are remembered. While some actions can be big, it is especially the small things that we do every day that multiply as we grow in maturity and wisdom that help build a legacy to remember. Sadly, people can pass on without leaving much of a legacy behind; questions may have gone unanswered, words could have been left unsaid. Some may say that it is okay because it will not matter in death, but it will to the people that care about you and vice versa, “whether or not we give much thought to it, everyone else we know will” (Chittester, 2008). As people often say, life is too short and tomorrow is not guaranteed. We must take advantage of the time we do have and use it as an opportunity to make it the best life we can for ourselves and those who we leave behind or come after

I am not that young nor old. I imagine that most people in my age group do not reflect on this topic as much as they should. Although it is never too late to start on your legacy, I would say that I am at the best point in my life to build a legacy that I could be proud of. As the author ends the article, she states that now is the time to start developing a legacy that we want to have. She says, “if we have neglected the development of the spirit for the sake of the material, we have the time now to think again about what it means to be alive, to be full of life, to love all of life, to be full of God. These can be the years when our spirits soar beyond any old injuries, above all the old pettiness, overcome all the ingrained prejudices that have kept us from enriching our lives with friends who are black and brown and yellow and red and white” (Chittester, 2008). This message is compelling to me because I often tell myself that there is always tomorrow. There will be more time to make connections. There will be more time to do more good. However, if we want to make a lasting impact for future generations to come, tomorrow must start