A dear elderly family member is critically ill and dying in hospital. This has caused me to ask this question: What legacy does she leave behind? The answer is that she is leaving a legacy of a life devoted to her husband and extended family; she is the loved matriarch of the family. She will be sorely missed. But she is at peace knowing she has had a wonderful life and wants to have that ‘big sleep’ so that she can be with her husband who died some years ago.  For many younger people life is about living for just the moment, but is that all life is?

For me, I want to give my children the legacy of a role-model father and husband: a man who, although he stumbled many times and made many mistakes, never gave in when he ‘dropped’ the ball, but picked himself up and kept going striving to be the best he could for his family. I want them to be encouraged by my life so that they themselves can live and lead even better and that passes to their children.