Todays encouragement post is both a tribute to a man who lived a great life and a dare to you to dream of what you want your legacy to be and to push yourself to achieve your goals.
Last week our family lost an important member. My cousins husband Steve, who has been around as far back as I can remember met his maker and left this earthy home. Earlier this year he celebrated his 50th birthday. In under two months of being diagnosed with 2 different stage-4 cancers he was gone. Leaving behind a wife, 3 kids, a huge family that will miss him and an amazing legacy.
While I have known many people that have died, young and old, good and not so good… but this loss has hit me differently. Maybe because he was just such a good guy. Maybe because we was too young and this just doesn’t seem right. Maybe because it all happened so fast. Maybe because I am so deeply sad for his children and wife - they are such a neat family. Maybe because anytime I hear of someone having cancer I feel a bond of fear and sorrow that I got just a small taste of a few years ago… so I grieve in a deeper way. Steve has left an impression on many people and his legacy will be one of greatness.
The week before his passing, family and friends flooded Facebook with pictures and good memories of the past - sending positive vibes and filling those last days with joy and laughter. A few days before his passing a huge group of girls from the softball association came by their house to honor him and express their gratitude for his service and influence on their lives. A scholarship has been created in his name. And this past weekend at their local county fair a young girl donated the proceeds from the sale of her rabbit to go towards the scholarship fund and to help the family. That little rabbit was bought and sold 10 times over for $1,500 - $3,000… raising a ton of money in his memory. There are tributes from family, friends and business associates all over his Facebook page.
I don’t think I have ever seen anything like this.
As I have reflected on Steve’s life, his impact on me and the way that he has touched all that knew him, I have been challenged to evaluate and and think about how I want to be remembered and what kind of legacy I desire to leave.
Should it be 2 months or 50 years… what do I wish for friends and family to remember?
One of the things that I have loved about this health journey has been being a part of the support community and watching the weekly support calls with thousands of people across the country that are also chasing health. The positivity that is shared in these groups is contagious… and I have really begun to realize how vital it is to fill my days and mind with people, activities and thoughts that are positive and lead to a healthy mental life. I also love how so often in that community we are encouraged to literally close our eyes and dream of what could be... and then to make it happen. There is a community spirit of living life to the fullest. Sure it's a community that supports weight loss... but really its a community that dares you to imagine a life of healthy choices and results that reflect physical, mental and emotional health
I want to encourage you, while you are taking this time to work on your physical health, to also invest time and energy into your mental/emotional health.
Make time to dream about the legacy you want to leave someday.
Make time to decide how you will embrace living to the fullest today.
Do you need to cut out some negative and replace it with positive?
Do you need to adjust your perspective and learn to see good?
Maybe you need to make some changes in order to achieve these dreams.
Or maybe you are content and already reaping the rewards of these efforts.
We each have different goals, different dreams and different values.
Whatever yours is… reach for it and don’t quit. Together lets commit to running the race of life strong all the way to the finish line!
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