What would you have engraved on your headstone if, in addition to your name and the dates of your birth and death, you had only one word?
By James de Mers on Pixabay
Okay two words? What is a thought or inspiration or vision you would like to leave behind? What would be your one-word, non-material legacy?
As I considered these questions, of course I came up with more than one word! When I accepted the challenge of one word, it emerged from my heart with both ease and surprise: Generosity.
By Wagner on Pixabay
My parents and grandparents embodied generosity. They taught me the joy of giving from the heart to the people and causes they valued. I want to carry that legacy forward to my descendants and to whoever might see the gravestone—the passersby who are visiting other graves and reading the words on the headstones. What wisdom could we elders leave ‘carved in stone’?
I sat with this one word, and deeper inner exploration followed. I somehow connected with an ethical work of some tradition. (Sadly, I didn’t make a note of it, so I can’t quote it exactly.) It enumerated three main categories of generosity:
giving of one's wealth,
giving of oneself physically,
giving of one's wisdom.
It is this last category that, of course, caught my attention. While the first two are great gifts, the last is a treasure. I found myself asking many questions inwardly about my own generosity over the decades of my life, and what wisdom would I bequeath. In a sense, it was a life review through the lens of generosity.
In addition to my one-word engraving, I would leave to my descendants this list of questions I asked myself in the hopes that they are inspired to explore generosity. The list might be part of an ethical will/legacy letter that is attached to the legal documents.
How generous have I been in my listening?
How generous have I been in sharing my time?
How generous have I been in sharing my love?
How generous have I been in sharing laughter and joy?
How generous have I been in my tears and sorrow?
How generous have I been in friendship?
How generous have I been in my commitments to the world?
How generous have I been in my empathy?
How generous have I been in opening to others’ opinions?
How generous have I been in standing my ground, standing in my power?
How generous have I been in telling my truth?
How generous have I been in my ability to respond?
How generous have I been in modelling self-care and self-love and self-compassion?
How generous have I been in modelling integrity?
How generous have I been in modelling patience?
How generous have I been in modelling compassion?
How generous have I been in expressing anger?
How generous have I been in expressing courage?
How generous have I been in expressing kindness?
How generous have I been in expressing my essence?