"Leaving a legacy is an important part of your life's work. A legacy develops from a life dedicated to self-reflection and purpose. What will be revealed and what will endure is a truthful and value driven body of living." By Joan Moran, HuffPost Blog, Contributor
Joan is a Creative Thought Leader, motivational speaker, author and blogger, and an expert on health and wellness.
My love of service began as a little girl on a North Dakota farm witnessing my caring mother provide support for our elderly neighbors over twelve years’ time, across the field. My mother, as a R.N., drove 30 miles to the closest small town of 900 to work at the hospital, nursing home and/or at the clinic, which today is not a long distance. Each evening whether she was home or arrived home at 6PM or 1AM she stopped up to Oscar and Margaret’s home to help Margaret get ready for bed on the couch. Margaret had debilitating arthritis and their bedroom was on the second floor. That was only one example of the heart felt care my mother shared with our neighbors. My Mother's legacy was selfless caring for and being of service to our neighbors.
I have a saying in my office that reads: “I slept and dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.” Kahlil Gibran. This is what I learned from my mother about being in service to others.
During my 30 + years in Career and Technical Education as an educator in a classroom (12 years) and a health education consultant (20 years) I was blessed to meet high school students from all backgrounds/countries. I have also spent 10 years in our Zonta Club of Fort Collins, which is an International women's advocacy/service organization. Zonta mission is empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. Zonta envisions a world in which women's rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential. In such a world, women have access to all resources and are represented in decision making positions on an equal basis with men. In such a world, no woman lives in fear of violence.
My love of service, from my upbringing and life experiences, is to inspire girls futures.
I have created a project originally under our Zonta Club and now is my nonprofit-Living Her Legacy. This has been a 6-year labor of love and we move forward abit each day. As you may know we have been approved to create the first historic public art exhibit, in our community, to recognize women's accomplishments to inspire girls futures. This will be one of my legacies and the other is my family, sons families and grandchildren.
I didn't start out to create legacy, I am sure most individuals do not wake up one day and say I plan leave a legacy and this is my plan. I followed my passions in life and my job experiences enhanced my passions. You too can follow your passions and leave a legacy.
Joan Moran stated "The idea of leaving a legacy is the need or the desire to be remembered for what you have contributed to the world." Not all legacies change the world and that is ok, whatever your purpose in life is, you will change a life along your life journey be it a human life, an animal life or maybe you will help to improve our ecology or environment or any number of other passions you may follow.
According to Joan Moran here are five ways to leave a great legacy:
1. Support the People and Causes That are Important to You
2. Reflect and Decide What is Most Important in Your Life
3. Share Your Blessings With Others
4. Be a Mentor to Others
5. Pursue Your Passions Because They Are Infectious
Passion comes from an outpouring of the interests and ideas that make a difference in your life. Finding and pursing your passion allows you to see your destiny clearly.
My passions came from 1. my mothers role modeling of unselfish caring for others, 2. my healthcare background and 3. my many years as an educator.
What is your passion? Share it with the world, you may change someone's life for the better.
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