What kind of a mark do you want to leave on the world?
In my American Literature class, (It seems I am always quoting it) We were reading Longfellow and In his poem "A Psalm of Life" he said:
"Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait."
This really made me truly think about what kind of a legacy I want to leave... It's crazy how all of these interesting and famous people who came before us thought about the same things... Almost as though these are like letters from the past...from a grandpa type of man who would be sitting on an overstuffed chair with a pipe in his right hand- with a long white beard kindly smiling as writing a letter to a grandchild.
Earlier in Longfellow's poem he said:
"Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not it's goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
was not spoken of the soul."
I just love that how he writes you know that He knows of an afterlife and of a Loving Fatherly God!
It just makes me think more tenderly about this whole matter of what kind of footprints am i leaving behind? Am I walking too close to the ocean where my footprints will be to soonly swept away after time and they will not be seen any longer? Or am i on the right path where each step will be recorded in the sands of time! I totally want to make a difference in the sands of time- like Longfellow and all of the past amazing writers, artists, and of course the Creator (who created all of the people in the universe!)
What kind of footprints are you leaving?
I think every smile, every encouraging word, every tender touch leaves a print. What we do every day in those small things effect us, the person we have contact with and those they relate to. It sets a pattern for grace. If you effect someone negatively, they in return usually do the same. If you touch them in some way positively, you will never know the kindness they may show another, the comfort or peace.
I hope I never forget, people are watching, everything...always. Even when they don't know it. I pray I can model humility when I am wrong, grace when they are wrong, and faith in all situations. That is a footprint no wave can wash away.
Many people will walk in and out of your life,
But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
I love this saying! No matter what we do in life we leave a footprint. I am sure we don't even know the part that we play in peoples lives! We do have to remember to use our talents for GOD's Will!