What legacy will you leave for this world
I must confess that I felt pain in my heart when Gina Lopez passed away last August 11 after a brave battle with cancer that started in her breast and metastasized into her brain and other organs of the body. We lost an exceptional and admirable soul who had a great passion in protecting the earth environment and a deep and genuine passion for children, especially the underprivileged ones.
Ms. Lopez’s passion being a philanthropist is relentless. The legacy that she leaves behind cannot be forgotten. She is etched in the hearts of every Filipino people, leaving an indelible mark that many people even wonder if there would be ever another Gina Lopez in this generation or in the next generation.
What then is legacy? In essence, according to Google, legacy is what you leave behind when you’re gone. It’s that ‘something’ that you did either for better or worse, and it’s most often the ‘thing’ for which you are most remembered.
The legacy my late mother, Antonia Uy de los Reyes, has left with us in the family and those who knew her is the virtue of being prayerful. We always had our prayer time every day when we were growing-up. She believed in the saying: “No amount of success can compensate for the failure in the home.” She was the strong pillar in our family such that we remained intact despite the storms that battered her life, especially her marital life.
For his part, my father, the late Enemesio de los Reyes, ingrained in my mind and my siblings’ the value and beauty of generosity, and embracing the present moment – that is living in the “now.” My late auntie, Cirila Uy Sy, was a God’s messenger. She spread the Word of God, until she passed away at the age of 53 in Masbate some years ago. A church was built in her honor, the Cirila Uy Sy Memorial Church in Tabunok, Talisay City.
How about you? What legacy will you leave behind when you’re gone. A wise man has said, “Every sunset every day reminds us that one day at a time our longevity is being reduced.”
There are ways wherein we can leave a great legacy. The website reachsuccess.com suggests some:
• Contribute beyond yourself. Find and take part in activities connected with making the world a better place to live in. The point is to make your life for something more than yourself. This way your actions will speak for you even when you’re gone.
• Be a role model. A great way to leave a legacy is to be a role model for everyone around you. Not only for your kids, but also friends, acquaintances and anyone you meet.
• Raise your children well. Often the only legacy people leave is their children. But if you didn’t make them honorable people who are willing to help others and have morals, you haven’t done your job well.
• Love. Loving every human being and showing it will create a peaceful world. Express your love on a daily basis to your family and friends, and treat with love even strangers or those who aren’t good to you.
• Do good. Good deeds are always remembered. Show other people that we can all do something nice today and make someone happy.
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