Be the Reason Someone Smiles

WD#1: What do you want your legacy to be?

There are a lot of words in the English language that have multiple meanings. I can’t imagine being an adult non-native English speaker and having to learn the language. Take “legacy” as an example. It typically refers to property or money one leaves behind when they die. That wasn’t the first interpretation that came to my mind, however, when I read today’s writing prompt. I read that question more as asking what people will remember about me once I’m gone.

The truth is, I have not really given much thought to how I will be remembered after death. Some, yes. But definitely not much. Now that I am forced into thinking about it by the first random card drawn from that mysterious Wordsmith Deck mentioned in yesterday’s post, I am not coming up with anything particularly monumental.

I can’t say there is any one thing for which I want to be remembered. I’m good at a lot of stuff, but not an expert at anything. I’ve played a variety of sports, dabbled in many hobbies, joined a social club or two, but no one significant thing stands out to me. What comes to my mind first is not a thing people will associate with memories of me, but a feeling.

I try to live life as a good, kind person, but I am certainly no saint. I like to think I did an okay job as a parent, but know I could have done better. The kids all turned out just fine, but, looking back, I know I could have been stricter, more doting, a better teacher, more patient, less-driven to fit society’s mold, etc. I try to be a good friend, but even that has its challenges. I do think of myself as a hard worker, but being remembered only for the quality of one’s job performance feels sort of shallow and sad.

Once my body is dead and my soul has moved on to wherever or whenever it is  that souls go, I would like people to smile if they think about me. Smiles are powerful things. Real smiles, not the fake, forced variety. I want to be remembered with the kind of smile that steals across one’s face without thought when remembering something I did or said during the course of this life. Humor really is some of the best medicine ever, and a genuine smile can be a fierce weapon. Especially now, as this crazy world of ours starts spiraling more quickly and closer down into chaos. If every single person made a conscious effort just to smile more, the world would be a much brighter place.

Really. Try it. If you or someone you know is having a really crappy day, if you feel anger, resentment, jealously, or even hatred boiling to the surface, smile. It may seem simple, as in stupid, but it works. When things get really bad, the mere physical act of smiling can seem so ridiculous, one can’t help but smile as a result. And even if you only feel the least little bit better as a result, better is a good thing.