What Will be Your Legacy?

Before the death of Queen Elizabeth II, I had an idea to write a blog article about legacy and it seems even more timely now so I will attempt to do her some justice if I can.

I’m currently reading Dave Grohl’s The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music which had me gripped by the opening paragraph:

Sometimes I forget that I’ve aged. My head and my heart seem to play this cruel trick on me, deceiving me with the false illusion of youth by greeting the world every day through the idealistic, mischievous eyes of a rebellious child finding happiness and appreciation in the most basic, simple things.

I don’t necessarily think of this as a cruel trick, I actually think it’s a gift to be able to find happiness in the simplest of things; it’s something that I wish I could do more often as I often allow myself to be caught up in seemingly endless to do lists and demands on my time.

One of the reasons so many of us have been so touched by the Queen’s death is because she always seemed to be ‘just there’, a constant in our lives and though we knew she had aged, we somehow didn’t expect her to die. I guess the reason for this was because she kept on working right up until the end of her life, she just got on with it. It’s the classic British stiff upper lip isn’t it? Keep calm and carry on, whatever life throws at you, aging included.

I’ve also heard it said many times that the longer you can keep your brain active, the longer your life expectancy and maybe she was a fine example of that. I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the huge sacrifices she must have made though and I think that whatever your stance on the monarchy, it can’t ever be disputed that her whole life was one of service. For many of us, it’s a life that is unimaginable, hence the deep gratitude and wonder we are seeing being expressed by so many during this time of mourning.

I’ve enjoyed listening to some of the anecdotes and personal insight from those who were close to her, I find it especially lovely to hear about the small things, the dog walks, her devotion to the Scottish Highlands, her horses, her amazing memory for details and I guess this is the false illusion of youth or I prefer to think of it as appreciation the simple things in life. It’s the gift of knowing the importance of enjoying the downtime, especially when you share so much of yourself with others.

I struggle with the concept of legacy, I’ve never had children and so sometimes I wonder what the point of my life is. But then I look at the faces of everyone filing past the Queen’s coffin (yes I’ve been watching the live streaming a few times!) and I can see what her legacy is, see the impact that her constant presence had on us individually.

I’ve talked before about creativity being a gift and I do believe that, I believe that whatever gifts are bestowed on us we must share with the world in our own special way. That is our duty and that will become our legacy.