RELATIONSHIPS LIVE LIFE ON PURPOSE, AND WITH A PURPOSE

LIVE LIFE ON PURPOSE, AND WITH A PURPOSE

by Erin McCormack

The women who have come before us have shaped us into who we are today.

Princess Dianna, Laura Secord, Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa, Anne Frank, Hellen Keller, Anne Sullivan, Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc, Florence Nightingale, Jane Goodall, JK Rowling, Sojourner

All women with a legacy intact for generations to come. Each wielding stories of empathy, bravery, compassion, and endurance. Every woman’s story, interestingly enough, cemented in time stemming from survival, passion, or morality.

Legacy is a personal journey. The thought, reality, or weight of its meaning sprinkled through time during pinnacle moments in our lives. From the first time we ask the innocent question “Where do babies come from?” We have moments of wondering what our purpose is in this life.

Women’s History

Unlike men throughout history, most women did not pursue the position of leaving a great legacy; the dream of our name going down in history. Women tend to, still today, be helpers. Helping our spouses through supporting their vocations, helping elderly family members, helping children rise up to be functioning members of society. Even “women’s” occupations historically have been helpers: secretary, switchboard operator, customer service, nurse. We have been designed to take on all the burdens of life and make everything just work out by creating a flow or rhythm in our homes and at work.

When looking at the legacies left to us from the women in our lives, they tend to be of recipes, life lessons, picture albums, and compassion. Many women find fulfillment of purpose in raising children and helping them leave their mark. Because of this, typically not falling into a type of midlife crisis, as many men do.

Women who have left legacies that are remembered by the masses were all not your typical conforming woman. They endured resistance and they pushed harder. They had goals, needed to see change happen, and their morals or values of injustice were stronger than the potential consequences of their actions. They pushed the boundary of what was expected of them, and they persevered. We are eternally grateful to every single woman who has fought for injustice, whether they have their names recorded or not, as shining examples of the gumption we are all capable. However, legacy defined by the entire world knowing our name, is not an enthusiastic goal to every person.

Our Legacy

We will all leave a legacy, whether it be positive or negative. It can also be both, depending on how we lived our lives and who we affected over the years. It is never too late to change the direction of our lives to include more impact to the community around us and the way people see our ambitions and intentions to help grow something bigger than ourselves. Seemingly small acts, such as; building a community center, volunteering to be a lunch monitor, connecting people with others, or giving our time at a shelter will not go down into the history books but will grow our impact. When we think about the advice we were given, the advice that we not only held onto that shaped our beliefs, but have shared that advice with others, the person who gave that advice has a legacy that has carried on through us. Whether or not people will remember the name of the person that originally coined that advice, lesson, or thought is of no consequence. Their words live on and continue to help people long after they have left the earth.

This is the hope we all could have. Not just with our own children and sphere, but as big or as tightknit as we are willing to take it. They say that we are only typically remembered for two generations, but I would challenge that. True, two generations may only know a name and not specific stories, but the impacts we have made on the people around us get passed down as advice, or warnings, or motivational anecdotes. The women who have come before us have shaped us into who we are today. Even if we were molded by the worst mother, she showed us what not to do; still having a significant impact on who we are today. We all have ambitions, passions, talents, and drive. There is something that makes us tick. Unfortunately, we sometimes get into the trap of doing so much for others that we lose that flicker of inspiration. Be encouraged to wake up early or not turn on the tv at night so to give ourselves the time we deserve to take to fuel our passion. Whether we have been meaning to write a book, write a song, paint, stretch, learn a language, volunteer, donate, or learn a new skill there is no better time than the present.

We are not promised another day, month, or year. Our presence will make an impact and will be missed when we are gone. What that impact will be is directly affiliated with what we do, how we act, who we are, and what we stand for today.

Erin McCormack is an ambitious homeschooling mother of two children, business owner and enthusiastic supporter of UkiNor, a Digital Legacy Company. She is helping her team find ways to help people tell their stories for generations to come. Her ambition in life is to live on purpose, with a purpose along with her husband, family, friends, and community.