Memorials and Legacies
What's yours?
It’s a holiday weekend. The unofficial start of summer. A time for remembrance indeed. Times of remembrance give us opportunities to ask what our legacies will be. Do you think about that stuff? Or must you arrive at a ‘certain’ age before you start wondering what it all means?
We went to a memorial service yesterday for a dear human who became a friend to me in a very short time. From the overflowing room it was obvious to all in attendance that her miraculous way of making one feel special was universal. (Mind you, she’d only been in this community for two years!)
Her legacy was one of kindness. Love. Humor and quick wit.
I met her while I was at work.
A job I took to fill some time and keep some money coming in while I was building my “business.”
The job wasn’t fancy. Didn’t come with an office, any real authority or perks (although a free scoop of ice cream now and again wasn’t bad). I didn’t get to use the degree I pursued a million years ago nor was my experience in corporate recruiting, hospitality sales or non-profit fundraising of particular interest to my managers.
What I learned from Rita, and the dozens of other folks I met during my tenure is that showing up with a smile and commitment to see humans exactly where they were is the point.
Leaving the world a little better than I found it is my motivation - at work as in life. And a reminder that without a life, work isn’t really important.
What are you working for? And can you live that legacy NOW instead of waiting until someday?
Coming up
Interviews with brilliant people about their identity and how work informs who they are.
Live Q&A - ask the (ex) Recruiter anything! (for subscribers)
Guest posts about work and identity.
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