I've been thinking alot lately about my life, what mattered, who will have cared that I lived (as I have produced no children), and what I will leave behind that speaks to what I know, and answers questions younger members of my family  may have about me. Today is 11/11/11. Interesting that several sources of information have landed in my lap just in this week.  Just in time on this auspicious day to do some rebooting of my life for the next years.

 I've learned  about the work one N classmate is doing compiling her own autobiography as well as family geneology.  I went to a "salon" and heard an age peer talk about her annual themed chapter of personal memories and history which she dutifully presents to all relatives each Christmas.  So far 12 years of information, stories, musings recalled from the past.  And just two days ago, I went to a Legacy Writing workshop, designed to encourage older folks to write their "ethical will" and/or letters which describe lessons learned, important values, significant memories, and gratitudes.

Because of these three serendipitous occurrences, I've gotten clearer in this past week that my recent books (Why not do what you  love? and the two volumes of Musings) are a form of my legacy as they combine memoir and my professional interests and values.  They don't fall into any of the above mentioned forms, but clearly they hold much of the same information.   And I'm open to what else would be good to collect and write about and how I might encourage my siblings to participate in documenting more of our family history. 

So I'm wondering how others are thinking about this. Our lives are finite.  When I think about my mother there are so many things I would like to ask her.  What will family members of the future wish they had known about me? 

I posted this query to generate some exchange about how people are thinking about/what they are doing about/ this thing called legacy, if anything?  And maybe this post can spark some conversation which we can continue in person at Reunion.  I am convinced that each of our lives have mattered. To be able to articulate that, and feel peaceful about that,  is probably a good thing to do before we die.

Thoughts?

Martha Johnson