Legacy

Happy Spring! My 50th birthday arrives next month, and I’m definitely feeling the effects of being a half decade old. For my birthday present, I have received a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and osteoarthritis. I was hoping I could take these presents back, but I don’t know where to take them (😊). Unfortunately, our bodies age. Although we can take active measures to slow this process by making healthy choices, the years still pass by. 

I’m choosing to see the positive side to aging, however. I must say that with these passing years, I’ve gained much wisdom (and some weight 🤨), but I wouldn’t want to go back to being eighteen. Those years were difficult, and there were experiences I’d rather forget. I suppose I might go back, however, only if I had today’s wisdom to take with me.

Our experiences from those years of living give us valuable information for making wiser choices in our more mature years. We realize that we can’t reverse the aging process, as hard as we may try, and that our lives really count for something—something important. I’m so thankful for the years I’ve had to live, and I often ask myself, “What legacy am I building right now? How do my husband, children, family, and friends view me? What do they see?”

Although I believe that an audience of one (God) is the only one we should be concerned about pleasing, I believe we affect many people around us through our actions. Simple actions of kindness, gentleness, and forbearance go a long way with others. Are you an encourager? Do you have a generous spirit? Are you one who gives comfort well? We’ve each been blessed with special attributes that we can use to start defining what our legacy will be.

So for me, I see aging as a necessary process that helps to mold us into compassionate, wise, mature people who care for others as we build our legacy. I’m so grateful for the many years I’ve been given on this earth, and I pray for many more. I will continue to focus daily on ways I can be an inspiration to others. What about you? It’s never to early to start. What legacy are you building?