Live the Legacy You Want to Leave

By Carl A. Trapani, MA, MS, LPC, Chippewa Manor Campus Chaplain

Try answering these questions quickly. What do you value most?  What are the two most important things in your life?  What kind of legacy do you want to leave after you are gone?  Is your legacy commonly known and understood by your family and friends? While these questions are simple, they might be hard for you to answer quickly, and might actually cause you some difficulty.  

As we journey through life, each of us fills a unique space – leaving behind a legacy that defines our existence long after we are gone. Our impact on the world – our legacy - consists of unique memories that represent what we were all about, what we offered to this world, and how we touched and shaped others, whether it was in helpful or unhelpful ways.  

What defines your legacy? Is it the impact of your career, the positions of leadership you held, the wisdom you shared with others, or the love, time, and energy, you generously gave to others? For seniors, pausing to reflect on your legacy is important, because it prompts us to think about what we value most and how we wish to be remembered by those whose lives we have touched. It also helps guide our actions as we seek to leave a lasting mark on the world.

The great leader of India, Mahatma Gandhi, can be looked upon as one of the greatest visionaries of all time. As a boy, Gandhi was very shy, had no unusual talents and was less than average in studies at school. To change his life, he transformed his thinking, which led to a much simpler and happier life for him. He felt that being true to oneself was better than living to please everyone else or trying to make others happy. Although he never held government office, the people of India regarded him as their country's supreme political and spiritual leader. Gandhi became an example of commitment to nonviolence and social justice. He was the principal force in India’s achieving independence from British rule. Gandhi's legacy resonates through the principles of truth and compassion that guided his life's work. His steadfast resolve to walk his own path, despite opposition and adversity, underscores the power of personal conviction in shaping a meaningful legacy. His example inspired other social activists such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and the Tibetan leader, Dalai Lama to work for social justice around the world. 

Albert Einstein’s groundbreaking theories changed the world and reshaped our understanding of the universe. His genius led to the development of the atomic bomb and the harnessing of nuclear power, But his legacy also includes his role as a great humanitarian. In 1933 Einstein fled as a refugee from Nazi Germany. After safely moving to the United States, he worked to save others from Hitler’s oppression. He and his wife made visa applications for other German Jews and personally vouched for refugees fleeing Nazi rule. While Einstein’s life was built around scientific breakthroughs, he also tried to help others. His actions meant that his legacy includes many lives saved.

Throughout history, the world has often measured success simply by how much a person could acquire. Jesus taught that a person’s life should consist of more than acquiring wealth and social status (Luke 12:15). He taught that everything we gain eventually goes to others – you can’t take it with you. He declared it is better to live with our hearts full of love for others – living as a kind and loving person – and that living this way, is the greatest legacy you can have. 

As you pause to ponder your imprint on life – your legacy, consider if your friends and loved ones really know your hopes, values and beliefs. Does your life reflect what you truly love and believe in? Are you making a positive impact on the lives of others through your example and encouragement? Remember that it is never too late to make a meaningful impact. Whether through acts of love, kindness, or generosity everything you do contributes to the tapestry of your legacy. Embrace the opportunity to leave a lasting imprint—a legacy that enriches the lives of others and inspires future generations to strive for greatness in every area of life. 

Life is a mix of great contradictions, and our legacy will be shaped by:

The painful and beautiful experiences we go through,

The people who have loved and hurt us,

The people we have liked and disliked,

What we give to others and what we receive, ask for, and take,

All these make life so challenging, losing so painful, and living so worthwhile.

So, take a moment to contemplate all the things that make you – you. Consider the good and the difficult. The happy and the heartache. Then resolve in yourself to be purposed daily – not on what you have – but on who you are and what you can do and then live the legacy you want to leave…

Carl Trapani, MA, MS, LPC serves as campus Chaplain at Chippewa Manor. He has more than 50 years of pastoral service and professional counseling experience. For more information please call (715) 723-4437 or email him at carl.trapani@chippewamanor.com.