Dear Reader,
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the unconscious human obsession with legacy.
What am I going to leave behind? What will people know me for?
This, in fact, is the approved way to think about life, like we all have to be aiming for something that outlives us.
Religions teach us that life doesn’t end at death, that there’s a hereafter, heaven, or hell. Once you leave this earth, you meet with either fate.
In my opinion, that means you're starting something new in another life, and that alone puts a finality to your existence here.
If you asked me two years ago, I would’ve said legacy matters. But now? I honestly think it’s meaningless.
Maybe that sounds selfish, but when you really think about it, the whole idea of legacy isn’t even for you. You’ll be gone.
Sure, maybe people will mention your name once or twice every few months. But that doesn’t mean anything to you anymore. You’re not here to hear it.
Someone I know always says, “I have nothing to leave you when I die. Everything I can do for you, I’ll do while I’m alive.” That sentence stays with me. It makes sense. Why get obsessed with planning for an impact you won’t experience when you could just give what you can now while you’re alive?
My theory is this: humans cling to the idea of legacy because death is inevitable, and we can’t live forever. It’s a coping mechanism. We try to live on in memories, in buildings, in names, in stories.
If we’re being honest , there’s no statue, no tribute, no act of charity in your name that holds meaning for your existence after you're gone. Everything ends at death.
But can we ever stop thinking about what we’ll be remembered for? Probably not. Because in a world where we can’t live forever, legacy is the closest thing we have to immortality.
Maybe we need that question. Maybe it helps us cope with the fact that one day, everything ends…
What do the legacy when we are gone? Just other papers that will end in the trash after a few days, weeks, months, or years. Praises that we don't get to hear and those we leave behind may not care how they sound like. Do they sound appealing? Yes! Will we be able to control our thoughts about them here and there? No - But as rightly put, no go kill yourself, do what you can when you're alive.
Beautiful piece as usual
This piece is VERY timely and I love the angle you came out from. I’ve also been thinking in terms of legacy, but from the angle of ‘how can I provide a soft landing for ‘children’ or ‘siblings.’
I don’t necessarily think it’s meaningless but I know that even if I’m know more, my name will or can be uttered more than once when they remember I did something or left something for them.
Tbh, it’s a tiring pursuit but surely, everything will end.
Lovely piece as always ❤️