This is a very good question to ask yourself and one that struck me recently when I attended the funeral of an eminent soldier who had been very successful in his working life. As we listened to his eulogy, I noticed that what he had achieved in life was not really talked about, but it was who he was as a human being that was his legacy. He was a kind, thoughtful, selfless human being that put others and their needs and wants before his own. This is the kind of legacy I think we want to be helping our young people to leave – teaching them to be givers and not takers. Teaching them to be concerned with others and not just themselves. Teaching them that it’s their qualities that really matter, and what makes them a good human being. This can be a challenge for many reasons, because the world which they are living in is so consuming, and it can sometimes seem too difficult to even find time to think about others.
So let’s help our young people to realise that we are not here on earth for long and what we leave behind will be remembered. We will all leave our mark when we go, and we don’t want it to be something that is toxic, selfish, or a success that has been all about us and little about others. Kind, thoughtful, selfless human beings are what we’re trying to nurture.