This Is My Legacy

Came across a great article in the New York Times today about writing an ethical will! Enjoy!

The Ethical Will, an Ancient Concept, Is Revamped for the Tech Age Originally an oral tradition to pass on wisdom from a family patriarch or matriarch, ethical wills today are more likely to be videos or pages.

There is just something special about putting your thoughts down with an old fashioned pen on paper. Your fingers feel the warmth and rhythm of the words that tumble from your brain to your pen, and you find yourself more intimately connected to the page. I don't really know why it is but I feel personally more involved than when I type my thoughts. Try it......leave the computer alone for a day and simply write ....or dip your pen into an inkwell.....Maybe one day I will finally buy that roll top desk I have been dreaming about all my life. When I look at a roll top desk, with all those little secretive drawers and corners, I just feel inspired to hunt down the little insights I have gleaned throughout my life that are nestled somewhere in my heart.......and write them down, and then put them gently into one of those little tiny shelves. Perhaps one day....

People often ask, "when should I write my letter of legacy"? The answer is any time you choose. But we often are motivated by the milestones in our lives, and there is no better way to mark these special times than with a heartfelt letter to family and friends.
What is your next milestone?

Spoke to an amazing group of ninety year old women today who have been in a club together for decades. They said afterwards they were inspired to write their letters of legacy, but truth be told, I think I walked away even more inspired by them!

My favorite quote is from Ray Bradbury, who said, "Walk to the edge of the cliff, jump off, and build your wings on the way down". Sometimes you just can't wait until you feel READY to do things on your bucket list, or write the letter you have been meaning to do for years....you just gotta jump off and DO IT!

So often we are afraid to talk about writing a letter that shares our legacy of insights, experiences and dreams. Why? Because it brings to mind our own mortality and causes us to pause and reflect about our lives. Scary stuff. What if we don't like what we see? But what if we don't do it? How would we feel if tomorrow we were incapacitated and never had the chance to express things to others we have felt for so long? What if all we have learned remains bottled up inside us, and never has a chance to influence or guide another person? Instead of worrying about the process of reflecting, why not see it as an amazing opportunity to grow! More than anything else, sitting down to write a page about your life is the catalyst for change, for optimism and hope.

Sometimes we wonder if we have anything of importance to say in a letter of legacy - who would care? Do we really have any insights to share? The answer is a resounding YES! Each of us has walked on our own unique path and our life experiences have taught us all lessons worth imparting. Who knows what person may one day benefit from something we said...

There are so many people in our lives who have had an immeasurable impact - but when was the last time we told them how much they have meant to us? The time is now -- call up that person and tell them today. Invite them for a coffee. Celebrate their contribution to your development. It just might be the nicest call they have received in their lives. And it will leave you feeling enriched.

We spend our lives asking ourselves why we are here, what are we meant to do - our life long quest.

Met a wonderful classy Football Hall of Famer today - and felt the insights he has on life shining through---- and then I wondered, has he written them down? The struggles he overcame, his positive approach to life, and the experiences that forged his destiny -- has he shared them with anyone in a letter? Each of us, in our own way, is a "hall of famer" to the people who matter in our lives. We all have something to share and leave behind. On this holiday weekend, take the time to reflect and to write your own letter of legacy. Why wait?

Great article in the Huffington Post, about writing your letter of legacy today!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachael-freed/writing-letters_b_3831203.html

Write a Legacy Letter Today! The model provides a four-part structure to make writing legacy letters simple, uniquely personal, and meaningful. A one-page letter written in no more than 15 to 30 minutes using this model can be completed in four paragraphs.

Listened to a Tedx talk this morning about creating your 200 year plan!! Legacy isn't always about looking backwards, it's also about creating your "forward" too! http://www.ted.com/talks/raghava_kk_what_s_your_200_year_plan

What's your 200-year plan? You might have a 5-year plan, but what about a 200-year plan? Artist Raghava KK has set his eyes on an ultra-long-term horizon; at TEDxSummit, he shows how it helps guide today's choices and tomorrow's goals -- and encourages you to make your own 200-year plan too.