A Heartfelt Legacy

“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.”

~Shannon L. Alder~

Sir Nicholas George Winton MBE (born Wertheim; 19 May 1909 – 1 July 2015) was Sa British humanitarian who organized the rescue of 669 children, most of them Jewish, from Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War in an operation later known as the Czech Kindertransport (German for “children transportation”). Winton found homes for the children and arranged for their safe passage to Britain. The world found out about his work over 40 years later, in 1988. The British press dubbed him the “British Schindler.” (referring to Oskar Schindler) ~Wikipedia~

During a faith discussion last week, our group saw a clip of the Nicholas Winton video. It has been on my mind ever since.

What will my legacy look like?

Will I have admirers that are standing up when I turn around?

One doesn’t have to be a Winton or Schindler in order to make a difference in the world. No one has to save another person from death in order to claim a legacy. The world, humanity and a kind heart offers many options to create a legacy. For instance…

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Julie has delivered homemade chicken soup to her ill neighbors for 20 years. She takes the elderly neighbors across the street to their doctor appointments and checks in on another neighbor while he’s recovering from major surgery.

Ever since Tom joined his church, he’s been helping to feed the homeless one afternoon a week. He’s talked to most of the guests and knows them all by name. Tom treats everyone with respect and dignity and, in turn, the guests all offer him a smile, a hug or a handshake.

Tina likes to say “hello” to everyone she meets, even the grumpy-faced people. “Have a great day!” is often in her vocabulary. Tina is always upbeat and never gossips or says a discouraging word about anyone. Instead, she finds the positive in people that would otherwise be cast aside.

George is a teacher. He is dedicated to his craft and loves every day that he spends with the children of his fifth grade class. The school where he teaches is not well-endowed with funds, so he buys many of the supplies and some of the books that are needed for the year with his part-time weekend job at the quick mart. The kids and parents love George’s teaching style because he throws his creative heart and soul into sharing his knowledge and wisdom in the classroom.

Barbara doesn’t have much to give. She lost her job last year and is living at a homeless shelter. It’s a tough time for her, but Barbara continues to go to the blood center and donate. She’s done this for the last ten years and has given many gallons. It’s the least she can do, since she has nothing to give at the present except part of herself. Barbara doesn’t want money because she’s more concerned about the health and well-being of others. She has faith that her own situation will eventually improve.

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You get the point, right? These are not real people. If they were, think of the legacy that would be left to to their friends, family and the admirers that stand up for them. Their stories are created without selfishness or ego. No one has to be famous or wealthy in order to leave a legacy. We simply have to be humbly kind and loving to every living being that exists in this world.

So…

What will my legacy look like? What will your legacy look like?

I don’t know, but Iet’s all work on it, carving our names on hearts together.

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This post has been brought to you by Nicholas Winton, a legacy, and Linda G. Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday. Click HERE to see additional one-liners in the comment section. Feel free to play along by posting your own one-liner and linking your post to Linda’s.