Legacy, Your Dad, This Father’s Day

You know what is an amazing word – Legacy.

The dictionary defines Legacy as a gift or a bequest, that is handed down, endowed or conveyed from one person to another.

That is exactly what it is – a gift.

By definition, a gift is not earned – that’s what makes it a gift!

It is also what makes is so magical. An inspirational legacy is a gift we get to open again and again, while our loved one is here, and long after they are gone.

I often think of the Jewish mystical teaching when it comes to legacy. It goes like this: a human being is like a candle; a soul is like a flame. Candles burn in this world, but eventually melt away.

A life well lived, however, is one where we have shared of our flame long before our candle melts away. That flame is then passed from one candle to another to another.

The light of our soul can be a source of illumination while we are here in this world and for those who will follow in our footsteps long after we are gone.

That is a legacy.

As we get ready for Father’s Day, I invite you to think about your father and the gift of legacy he has given to you. Whether he is still here burning bright, or long ago left this world – his soul, his flame, his illumination continues to shine on.

Share with us your thoughts about your dad’s legacy and the light he has shined into your life.

P.S. Although there are also legacy shadows (a topic we’ll grapple with as well) it is important we sift through the shadows, put down the darkness and take hold of the light – the light which was and will always be the true essence, the soul, of your dad.