How do You Want to be Remembered?

At some extent, we thought, the answer to this question lies in our hand.

In our walk of life, we left behind a mark somewhere somehow.  Some are co-incidental; some are very much uncalled for, while some are a result of many thoughts put into action.  Some will remember us, even in that tiniest way, we met.

Walk of Life

We wanted to be remembered fondly.  How much fondly and in what way?  To some certain extent we can have our say.  What others perceived about you might not be the real you.  We cannot know someone in their entirety.

---

Being my resignation accepted, I was called for Exit Interview in the Local Head Office of my former Employer.  (You can read the reason here)  The HR Manager deeply looked into my eyes and asked few questions.  While working in our organization, did you experience any ill-treatment?  What would you tell others about our organization?

Well, that is equivalent to – how do you know about us? I told the guy that my experience was good and I did have a good time here.    It was an emotional moment since I also thought I would work here since the age of my retirement.  During my time there, I worked as if I would be there for too long.  My performance might not be good though.

In our country getting job is hard, especially like mine – permanent appointment.  Many of us expected we’d spent our life here in the Organization.  Before I could get prepared, it was time to let go.  I don’t have the chance to build how I wanted to be remembered by colleagues, it was gone.  The same occurs to many.  So, how do you wanted to be talked about?

---

We have been to different places meeting certain number of people wherever we go.  Be it in the workplace or short trips.  It is natural, we wanted to leave behind a legacy or mark in this world.  Yet, what kind of legacy, would fit in here.

We are blessed to brush shoulders with different type of persons in our walk of life.   Sometimes, we thought, we knew a person.  Instant judging of a person is easily hurtful and it can cause a rift.  We remember them, only by their outward appearance or nature, during our short meetings.  It’s just our perception.

For working persons; we, change departments and office, are following orders to suit our employment.   When you are gone from your current workplace, how do you think your ex-colleagues will have to say about you?

In our journey of life, like it or not, it is bound to happen and is happening everywhere.  By being a boss somewhere, we seem to be likable to all.  But what here we are talking about the day after you got transferred.

To live with this question, all the way, might be heavy and not easy.  While exercising personal liberty, it is a good practice to fulfill, at least, some obligations.  In the long run our surroundings might enjoy our presence as we try to create a legacy.

Family and real friends will still miss our presence, even though we might not perform well.  Yet, in our short span of life, we should try to be meaningful to them.  Some people become the foundation stone for their family; spiritually and physically.

We have ‘our bad-sides’ and ‘our good-sides’ of ourselves.  As much as your good-sides, your bad-sides, which hardly surfaced out, might be beneficial to others as well.  We hurting someone can work wonders for others too.  But one thing is certain; your remembrance won’t be as sweet as you’d expected.

In our walk of life, we met many good and bad persons, we assumed.  They are bad persons because they are bad for you.  They are good persons because they are good to you.  That bad person might be very good person to others and vice versa.

Even though we tried our best, we might not be remembered in a good way.  Discouraging, isn’t it?  No, not at all.  We’ll have inner satisfaction and we’ll be contented.

Fragrance, what kind of fragrance do we want to spread – fragrance of Christ or fragrance of death?  It depends on us.

In the next installment; ‘How do you want to be remembered after you are long gone?’ We’ll talk more about remembrance.

 

Please feel free to comment or discussed your thoughts.

How Do You Want to Be Remembered When You are Long Gone?

Well, this question always intrigued me. For every beginning there is an end.  We will be gone.

This is the second installment on how you wanted to be remembered. By how we response to this question, I believe, it will determine our thoughts and actions. Please, I am not trying to rob you off, of your liberty.

We wanted to be remembered fondly. How much fondly and in what way? To some certain extent we can have our say. What others may perceived about you might not be the real you. We cannot know someone in their entirety.

Number of times, I have been poised before this very question. Although I have an answer in-hand most of the time, it is a big question of life and be remembered, put in one sentence.

A death tree trunk: gone but standing

As stated before, your answer to this question flashes what you wanted to do with your life, your approach to life, and when you’re gone. I am not going to put my answer here either but you are free to assess after reading this piece.

If this particular question is, asked at some high level competition with huge prize, the level of answer of might be different. They would be getting the required platform for performing. Here let us put it in a lower tempo, for the ordinary living, too. Either way, we would be remembered when we are gone.

All great personalities as well as unknown people faced death. No one escape death. There will be an end to, what we called our life. Please do not take it otherwise; I am not trying to instill ‘fear’ in you. A life, worthy in the eyes of the Almighty, would be talked about with great passion. Not only remembered, it will boost the life of others too.

There will be moments in time where you’d be remembered. There are people whose life is worth studying yet all of us cannot fit in this category. Some are remembered for their good deeds, their inventions, brevity, and the likes, although in different scales.

Eulogies, some people prepared or pre-wrote their own eulogy.  It might be a good practice depending on the situation. That day when we exit this world, yet our life will be gone but talked about.  In our death anniversaries, family and friends will fondly remember us.

History can tell us that all outstanding personalities, we considered today, contributed in different manner even when they’re gone. Some uplifted evil practice into the world to serve their personal interest in their quest for power.  Yet they are remembered.

Should we want people to remember us in a deserving way, now is the time to live it out. We must pay their due tribute to those who are gone before us.

Luscious fruit, in the Garden of Eden, must be in abundant too.  Extremely abundant to satisfy, the physical need of the first couple. Yet, just one fruit, should be avoided; not even touched. The same applies in our walk of life too. You already knew it, I hope.

When the ‘evil inside us’ took hold of any situation, we do not pay heed to the consequences of our actions.  Then, who cares about when well be gone and how people will remember or talk about us. In this kind of behavior, no one will benefit from our action and our younger generations will keep on suffering.

For someone who will try to ignore or dodge this question, it might mean giving up before the end comes. We might not achieve everything though we deeply desired in our heart but it is worth a try before we’re gone.

Let me cite just one simple example: With huge respect, one who invented atom bomb or nuclear bomb to who set up Home for the Dyings, all are human.  Yet they are remembered but in different ways.

Also, to someone who runaway from responsibilities, to someone who run shelter for the homeless.  Someone who chose to beg than working hard, to someone who died due to starvation because of crop failure. Who deserved to be remembered and talk about? It is for you to decide.

Faithful till the end for the Savior, would be our sweetest remembrance, if we can live for it.

Fragrance, what kind of fragrance do we want to spread – fragrance of Christ or fragrance of death? It depends on us.

Wealth is another thing; a good name is another thing. There is one similarity; both can be earned.

Contentment in the midst of unlimited wants is another achievement worth talking about.

Fame is not everything; it is behind the reason we get fame that matters.

The list is long but let me end it here for you to continue…

 

Please feel free to comment. Your thought counts. Thank you!