Good people die everyday, many way too young. I try not to think about dying too much because to be honest, it’s a scary proposition. No one wants to die. Not how you thought I’d start out this Sunday morning huh? Luckily I’m not going to dwell on death. This morning I’m thinking about impact. How can I live to leave a positive mark on the most people? I think I need another cup of coffee.
If I were an NFL quarterback, we’d be talking about Super Bowl rings. Well the talking heads of sport would be. The notion of a legacy being championships, not impact.
Funny that the measure of a person can be so one channeled. At once we should all see how flawed this is. Lance Armstrong won 7 Tour De France titles. His legacy is that of a arrogant cheater who destroyed every life he came in contact for a decade. Except cancer survivors. Love him or hate him Lance impacted thousands in the most incredible way. Cleary it’s complicated. Do we even have the right measuring stick?
I’d say I don’t think of impact that much but that’s a lie. As someone that strives to be liked (real talk only here) I try and go out of my way to brighten everyone I encounter each day. Even with just a smile and a good morning or a thank you, or “how you doing?” Yes, me saying this is self serving. But it’s true. Impact happens in little steps.
Maybe it’s by leaving good kids to carry on what we teach them. If one of us is a positive. One or two more of us spreading good vibes has to be better. Right?
When my dad died almost three years ago, one of the things I couldn’t shake was the abruptness and immediate emptiness his death left on the world. It was just over. This was and is a harsh thing to consider. The world keeps moving on and the void of his absence is quickly filled by something. Like some sort of ectoplasmic slime slides in and we are on to the next episode. We spend a day “celebrating” their lives and then we are on to taco Tuesday. Those closest are left to figure out what’s next. It feels like a whole life is reduced to an obituary (don’t make it too flashy they say), a eulogy, and an afternoon reminiscing with family. I spent the first weeks in some sort of panic. Fighting for people to not forget him.
Like the man who died yesterday. I spent a couple nights a week with Kenneth Miles working on, of all things, a dance routine. Long story short, we had danced for a cause over the previous three years and the alumni were doing a reunion number to start out the night of that year’s program. I am a terrible dancer. Kenneth was no better, but we did our best and didn’t drop anyone or fall on our faces. We laughed a lot and nailed it when it mattered. He was kind and light hearted. Yesterday he passed abruptly and he is being deservedly celebrated for the impact he had on so many lives. This morning he’s making me consider my impact.
If we look at our impact through the prism of someone else’s, it usually pales. Part of this may be reality, and part is our proximity. Most of us never know when we are impacting so it’s best to be on your best behavior at all times.
If this feels scattered and disjointed. It’s because it’s big. Bigger than a 600 word blip on the internet. It’s what we are or at least what we should be. I for one think we are all out here to be in the service if others. That in and of itself is a complicated arrangement as we surf the Jaws of life. I think the name of the game, like most things, is to be aware that good or bad, we are always making some sort of impact. “What we do when no one’s looking” is probably the best mindset to consider. Lest the ectoplasm seep in and erase our hard work.
#hugsandhi5s
