‘How do you want to be remembered?’

As a mother, are you aware that you are in the process of creating a legacy? One day when you are gone, you will be remembered for your legacy – good or bad.

We have all been given a legacy and we are expected to leave one for the next generation. Thinking about it… what legacy did you receive?

I took to the streets to ask mothers about the legacy they received and was touched by Josel’s story. As she reminisced the life her grandmother lived out in front of her, tears washed her cheeks. The legacy she received was a quest for knowledge.

Josel recalled, as a child, when many parents were reluctant to invest in their daughters’ education, her grandmother took on the responsibility and made it possible by working hard and putting her first.

She built on the foundation given by her grandmother and went on to specialize in her career choice. Today, Josel is involved in her boys’ education and thinks she hears her grandmother in the back of her mind saying “invest in your children’s education”.

As I listened to Josel, I reflected on the legacy I received from my mother. It’s a legacy of selfless giving.

One evening, there was not much food in the kitchen; mother prepared some chicken and dumplings for supper. When it was finished she dished it out for all six of us. Just after returning thanks, we heard someone calling and mother whispered to us “Don’t start eating until I get back”. She came back and told us we all had to give something from our plate for the guest.

Although we are grown and no longer under mother’s roof, we all share her passion for people. People who haven’t met her think we are too good to be true and those who know her say we are just like her.

Some people think a legacy has to be property, money or a high and noble affiliation; quite the contrary; you can create a legacy of kindness, honesty and a solid character.

What will your legacy be?

A mother is a legacy factory; be purposeful about what you transfer! Happy Mother’s Day.