I attended a charity event over the weekend that moved me. It’s not a well-known, big name charity. The
Georgia V. Nichols-Campbell Foundation was established by a woman, a mother, a teacher in Arkansas whose mission was to help students in Eudora, Arkansas attend college.
Years later, her son carries on her legacy, with his own wife and daughter looking on in support as he delivers the keynote address. I got stuck after his first sentence. He shared something that left such a vivid image in my mind. He said, ‘now I understand why my mother was horse after each of these events’. When he said that, something shot all the way through my body. It caused me to picture this strong, motivated, self-sacrificing, determined, busy, female professional. I could see her getting up morning after morning to prepare her own children for school as she prepared to go in and devote her time and energy to building the next generation of leaders. That, alone, was a full plate. But she wasn’t satisfied with just that – she wanted to see her children (her biological children and her students) reach their potential and attend college. But she didn’t stop there – she actually galvanized hundreds of people to raise funds to send ‘her children’ to college. But her legacy didn’t stop there – it was so strong that her son carried the torch all the way to Northern Virginia.
Women amaze me.
So, how do you build that kind of legacy? How do you leave a legacy that has total strangers in awe of you, simply at a few words spoken by your offspring. Isn't this what all mother’s dream of? Leaving a mark that is so significant that your children are devoted to a life of service in your honor? I don’t know that anything else could make a mother more proud.
Legacy is something we all leave. It’s not only reserved for the wealthy or well-educated or high-achieving or a certain race or gender or economic status. It is something we have control over, although we don't always consciously acknowledge it. It’s something that gets passed down from generation to generation. It’s the fuel of dreams. It’s the secret motivator behind action.
We are shaping the future of our world by the legacy we are leaving. Legacy is a compilation of all the little decisions, little interactions, little experiences all tied together. We all need to be more deliberate about the legacy we leave. Its too critical, and as I witnessed in the event this weekend, it will impact not just our own families but people all over this world who come in contact with those we've influenced and the work we have started. What a huge responsibility - but, what I huge privilege.
So, in the midst of our busy lives, lets make sure we preserve energy for leaving a legacy that will count.
Attaché Services, LLC