Holiness in our midst – Session 20

Holiness in our Midst

SESSION XX: ON LEGACIES

I began thinking about legacy-leaving last year during services at First Christian Church in Ames, Iowa. Such thoughts surfaced whenever Alison Eschen, anthropology major at Iowa State University, wore a T-shirt that read: FUTURE FOSSIL. Each sighting set me to musing on what I was actually doing with my brief stay on earth: What was I leaving behind? The question came to the fore again each time I listened to the lyrics of a favorite song, “Find Us Faithful,” by Steve Green (May all who come behind us find us faithful. May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe.).

What do I want to be known for? As I explored this question, I discovered the book, “Women’s Lives, Women’s Legacies: Passing Your Beliefs and Blessings to Future Generations” by Rachael Freed. It helped. But my resolve to be intentional about leaving a legacy solidified when Nelson Mandela died, leaving behind an example of freedom through forgiveness.

This I know: My legacy will not be lots of money or property left to family. The things I naturally get up in the morning and do are not well paid. However, I would like to think that I would leave behind a legacy of kindness and sweet compassion in my daily work as a support staff for persons with profound disabilities. I would like to leave a body of written work that encourages others to share their stories. I would like to be remembered as a good friend to a few. I would like to think that I impacted local homelessness and hunger awareness in the communities where I lived. That’s about it for me.

What would you like to leave behind? What would you like your legacy to be?

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STORY CIRCLE QUESTION: What legacies would you like to leave behind? Material? Spiritual?

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

  1. Read the above reflection aloud.
  2. Write a journal reflection about a legacy you would like to leave. Are you consciously working toward leaving this legacy? How?

FOR GROUP STUDY:

  1. Read aloud Session XX.
  2. Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Question.