What Will You Be Remembered By?

I have this feeling that we will all be remembered by the things we love and how we reflect them in the world. I ponder for a moment-what were the things my mother loved- her family, sunsets at Long Beach, cookouts at the ocean, jigsaw puzzles and she loved to laugh. My father, he loved fishing, gardening, Sag Harbor and watching the news. When you think of a person, you often conjure up their memory by remembering the things they loved as well as how they made you feel.

 Just a few days ago I received a text from my niece Ingrid who lives in Colorado: 

“Heading into hummingbird season and getting our feeders together, makes me think of you!” 

 And just the other day a friend wrote: 

“Hearing the peep, peep, peepers. Always makes me think of you.”

 And my brother-in-law and sister-in-law found and wrapped up two frameless box images of birds with a card that read, “We saw these and thought of you.” The pictures read-“Be joyful and free and give love to every other creature you see.” And the other, “Brighten the world with your colors.” What a warm and wonderful way to be thought of.

 Each time it snows I hear mention on Facebook of my love of snow, my magic snow-hat and the song “Let it Snow.” I shared that song at Morning Program in the Elementary School every time a snowstorm was looming. I thought to myself what wonderful things to be remembered by – the reappearance of hummingbirds, the song of the peepers- the magic of snow. And so, I put that question out to you, what will you be remembered by? Your love of the ocean, or knitting, or playing the clarinet? The way you make people feel? Your chocolate chip cookies? Your smile? Your kindness? Your faith? 

 I think each of us adds something unique to the world by sharing the things we’ve come to love. As we reflect that love into the world, we send out positive, loving energy - illuminating the universe-each a tiny flickering light in the darkness. 

 Life is full of many distractions and so much noise – the constant din of television, cell phones, computers -not to mention leaf blowers, weed whackers and lawn mowers. There are times that we forget to feel and listen to that inner voice pulling us toward the things we love. Quiet often gives voice to the heart and the soul - and the love that is clamoring to heard and listened to. 

 What makes your heart sing? What makes you feel most alive? And once you uncover those things it’s time to spend more time doing them. Collectively filling the world with the things we love-and the love we feel while doing them - may indeed make sizeable differences in the world around us. A shared deep healing breath for the planet - a warm hug felt around the universe.

 So tell me, what are the things that you love?