Legacies, reflection
of loved ones’ lives
by Rita Langston
reporter

Legacies are as different as the people who leave them.
One man’s legacy is his well-known name or business. Another man’s legacy is as private or infamous as his character or reputation.
My parent’s legacy was not one of wealth, but of extreme value, nonetheless.
Some legacies are built slowly as our character forms and definite patterns emerge.
Not all people grow wiser and kinder with age. Sadly, some legacies are shrouded in resentment, bitterness or selfishness.
It wasn’t easy lives that spared my parents from such a legacy. Both of them worked very hard and definitely suffered their share of life’s setbacks.
Nevertheless, whenever I remember my mother, I picture her smiling. Even when she was in a lot of pain, she was sweet and encouraging.
The doctor told us she had only a few days to live. She had lived an honest life, and I wanted to be honest with her. So our last two days together were spent sharing favorite memories, and we thanked her for her unconditional love.
Many of our memories included my dad, who had died a few years before.
He could always make us smile—he had a way of making people around him feel better. He left a legacy of integrity and compassion.
My mother loved talking about seeing him again.
She was not ready to leave us, but she was not afraid to die. She had a relationship with Jesus and had lived her life looking forward to heaven.
Her legacy to us was one of selflessness and faith in God.
My parents were not perfect, and they would be the first to admit they made mistakes.
They quietly lived their lives. I do not know if they gave much thought to the legacy they were leaving their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
I know their legacy didn’t just happen. Their dependence upon God and the decisions they made each day formed their legacy.
And at the end of their lives, they were wiser and kinder.