I was supposed to start my social media detox this week as I’m still taking in too much negativity online, but I failed miserably at my attempt. Next week, however, by the time this goes to publication, I’ll be a few days into it and hopefully reaping the benefits of being predominantly offline!
I heard that lockdown is causing people to do a lot of soul-searching and reassessing of their lives. I can safely say that all this time in isolation surrounded by corona-related activity is definitely giving me a bit of a wake-up call and causing me to think about many things. This week, I listened to a podcast episode about legacy. I know – kind of a dark topic considering legacy is something left behind when somebody dies – but the episode was less about death and more about contemplating what you might like to leave behind as your own legacy. OK – it still feels a little dark. I assure you, you don’t need to worry about me, this episode just got me thinking, that’s all. You can find the podcast episode and listen for yourself here.
It really made me wonder whether it’s something that people ever really give much thought to throughout their life. It’s certainly not something I’ve ever thought about; I feel like it’s something to consider at the end of your life, not whilst you’re living it. If you asked me what the term ‘legacy’ meant, I’d consider something financial, or some inspirational movement, or something you leave to a charity or your kids. But the episode discussed other types of legacy such as work and general actions, and, more specifically, actions taken by people during the times of this virus. It described how kindness can also be a legacy, which caused me to question whether the way you behave throughout your life could be your legacy.
A local man back home in Liverpool passed away this week from the Coronavirus. He worked at my local train station, and I heard about his passing through friends, before reading about it on social media. When I saw his photograph, I instantly recognised him and felt genuinely upset to hear of his passing. He was always so lovely, helpful and kind to me when I travelled through. It soon became apparent that there were so many others who knew him solely via the station, whose lives he had left a mark upon. Tributes and messages flooded in for him, as well as messages of condolences and support for his loved ones. It’s glaringly obvious that this man was one of life’s genuinely good people, who had touched the lives of so many others. It made me wonder, did he know how much of an impact he had made on so many lives?
When I listened to the podcast episode about legacy, he immediately came to my mind. I thought about whether, knowing nothing else about this man other than that he was well-loved by customers, his life and his kindness could be considered one of the legacies he’s left behind. To hear of a person who has made such a difference to the days and lives of so many people over the years is truly humbling, and I can’t think of a more wonderful legacy and reason to be remembered – kindness.
See you next week!
Reflect and Introspect 