As I sit here and write this, with my “reading glasses” perched on the end of my nose, I am contemplating my legacy. Over the last several months I’ve mourned the passing of several people that have impacted my life….with their legacy. I have had the privilege to attend funerals that were celebrations of lives well lived. Those moments were comforting to me. It gives me hope for relationships and a belief that people can extend grace and kindness to one another. I find myself thinking a lot these days about my legacy to my family and to those I come in contact with every day.

I didn’t realize that thoughts of my own life and legacy would come into sharper focus than I had ever experienced. I don’t think anything can make you more aware of your absolute mortality than when some type of health issue comes up. I have truly been blessed when it comes to my physical health. I remember when I had surgery 3 years ago the anesthesiologist commented on how unusual it was that I’d made it this far in life and had never had any type of anesthesia. Unfortunately, over the last several months I’ve found myself dealing with numerous health issues. I joke with my husband that I’ve turned 40 and I am falling apart!!! Most recently I found myself waiting on test results that could come back with serious consequences. It not only made me look back over my life and take stock of what I’ve done and where I’ve been but it forced me to look at the present I am living in. I needed to look at today. We often get so tied up in the mistakes of the past or contemplating the direction of our future that we forget to live in the moment. That is where I found myself, caught in the middle of my past and my future, but definitely not always taking the time to enjoy the “now”.

Every life experience I’ve had shaped me into the person I am today. The past holds many things – good and bad. What I continued to think about as I went through these medical tests and waited on results (these things always seem to drag on forever!!) was the impact my life was having on those closest to me. I spent a lot of time thinking about some of the people who have impacted me. Why did certain people really connect with my life? What was different about them?

Most things in life don’t work out the way we expect them to, such is the nature of this life! I have come to the realization that I am absolutely human and I will always have struggles. I know I will never be perfect BUT I’ve learned I don’t have to be perfect to receive love. Thankfully – I’m free and God’s grace flows freely and the legacy Jesus left me will always have the ultimate impact on my life.

Right now I’m not really worrying about tomorrow. In December I’ll go back and have some follow-up tests and hopefully that will be the end of all this. If something different should happen…it’ll happen….I plan on trusting that to God. I’m learning to live in the moment and I’m going to tell people that are important to me that they are….important to me! I don’t want to miss that moment with anyone, I’ve learned you may not get a second chance.

Who’s life has impacted you? Are you thinking about your legacy?

The thing I’m sure of this evening is that my life is still a story in progress….I don’t know when my story may end but…. I do know I have a lot of story left to write and I need to be living in the “now” moments!