Saturday, March 21, 2015

Gifts

AS I reflect on where I am as a person, I think about my grand parents. I had a chance to get to know my Grandfather and mother on my dad’s side, but only had a relationships with my Grandmother on my mom’s side. He passed away before I was about to remember him. But more importantly, I think about their lives, and also I think about their funerals.  In some ways its sad that after living 65, 70, 85 years on this planet, all we get is a day’s worth of celebration or remembrance, but that’s how this world is made. But when we really look at what is celebrated during that time, it’s what they gave. It’s how they impacted other people’s lives. It’s great to accomplish great things, and overcome personal goals, but people remember us for our contributions. That’s why musical legends, military members and presidents receive an outpouring of goodwill and adulation and epic, and sometimes embellished biographies  while people we’ve never known dying in third world countries receive basically nothing. It’s a harsh reality. It’s a “what have you done for me lately”  kind of world, and those that do the most receive the most. usually.

But isin’t it better that way?

It’s not only those that receive that are impacted by “givers”. but usually the givers themselves live a higher type of lifestyle because of their contributions. Sometimes they are remembered in life. Sometimes they are remembered in death. How is it that a young 14 year old girl’s journal has gone on to impact millions of lives throughout the world? She unknowingly gave her diary, and what that gave us was an unfiltered view of life in germany during one of the most insane periods in Human history.

It’s all about giving. It’s always been about giving. And the people that do it best, the give things that matter that make lives better for others, are the one’s that get remembered.

SO the challenge today is this. Ask yourself. What are you giving? Is it love to your friends and family members? Is it time to a cause you care about? Is it new ideas and innovation in your profession? Is it as simple as being a good friend and helping them out in times of need?

Once you’ve done this, ask yourself what gifts and contributions you want to be remembered for. If what you’re doing and what you want line up, do it now. If they don’t, begin to form a plan to get on the right path.

p.s. I don’t write this because I’m an expert in this area, but because I needed the wakeup call as well. It’s easy to get caught in the minutiae of life, like picking up dry cleaning and what brunch spot we’re gonna hit up. So many things in the world tell us to do just the opposite, to be selfish.  So join me in this endeavor of getting back to giving.

-Hayward “Trey” Sparks III