The excerpt from Joan Chittister about legacy and the afterword was a powerful short piece of writing on what a person leaves behind in the world and how our thoughts and beliefs shift, as we get closer to the end of our lives. She defines legacy as more than the financial and physical materials that we leave behind but as “the quality of lives we leave behind.” Our legacy is how people will remember us when we are gone and the effects that we had on others. Chittister’s second section covered the subject of aging and how even in our later stage of life we can be productive and thoughtful but we will all eventually slow down and ponder our lives and its next stages.
Chittister’s description of a person's legacy is exactly how I would describe …show more content…
She describes an example on how someone can be judged on their values by their actions. If we plant a garden on a piece of land, others will think we had a love of the earth, while if we let debris cover the land we could be messy and uncaring. Perception is important in life but after passing it is unchangeable and tied directly to our legacy. When I pass, I want my legacy to be carried on through my friends and family. I would want them to have nothing but good memories of me and to pass down to others a positive depiction of who I …show more content…
She states that "it is time to ask ourselves what legacy we are leaving behind. Because one thing is sure: whether or not we give much thought to it, everyone else we know will." I think a good way for someone to try and understand their legacy would be to ask themselves what people would say about them, if they were to die today. I know that if I did, many would say I was kind, funny, and helpful. I don't think they would say I was giving or emotionally open, which I would like. Thinking about this shows me what I need to work on in my life to leave a better