The legacy you leave behind.

In My Humble Opinion
1

What’s the one thing you know for certain that you’re leaving behind to your son, daughter, nephew, niece, god-kid, what have you?

Not just what you hope they’ll remember you for, like your mad math skills or knitting prowess. I mean the one thing/skill that you value and you already know that they value as well. The thing that when somebody in their life asks “How did you learn to do that?”, they’ll credit you by name without a moment’s hesitation.

For me, my daughter is a fearless skier. My son is a very good sailor. I’ve taught them both, but that’s what they each took away and which I know they enjoy and value. Hopefully not the most important things I have or will ever teach them. But these I’m sure of.

Now you.

2

I’m a honorable man. It ain’t much, but it’s enough.

3

And that’s a quality directly reflected in whom?

4

Lawyers that interned under me when I worked for a non-profit.

5

I am best known for the work I have done in primitive archery and bow building. That would be the most obvious thing. A couple of other things I would just as well they forgot.

6

And that’s a skill you’ve passed on to your kid(s)?

7

I don’t have kids, but I do have a niece and nephew. I’d like to believe that I’ve passed to them my love of music, and hopefully to a larger extent, a general love of the arts and curiousity. Whenever they come to visit, they often will just sit down and start playing with my organ or my keyboard or ask questions about various things I have about. At the very least, I know they don’t get much musical stimulation from their parents. As they get older, I hope I’ll get to share more music with them, maybe take them to see films or whatever. If I were just remembered as the uncle that fostered that love in them, I’d be happy with that.

8

How to peel an orange.

9

It’s funny that you say that because my maternal grandfather taught me how to peel an entire apple with a pen knife, all in one long strip. :slight_smile:

10

My sons are honest, hard-working, and get straight As. They have ingrained in them honesty and a good work ethic as well as a razor-sharp and indelible sense of right and wrong.

They also have both inherited my sense of humor and use of puns for which someday I may be held accountable by some future daughter-in-law…

11

Not so much my kids but some of my tecniques have been recognised worldwide and are now considered a standard by many. I published my chapter in a well known book series about 6 years ago and seldom a week goes by I don’t get e emails telling me of the success they have had with my methods. I am also listed as a reference in several good selling books on the subject.

12

Ima be the first to say: nothing whatsoever.

There’s no child in my life I see more than a couple times a year.

13

Uhhh. I taught my daughter to clap after she eats Cheerios. At one year old, her repertoire of tricks is sadly limited.

14

My oldest daughter can break a nose with one punch, and has used it to good effect on at least one occasion on a fellow about 6 inches and 50 pounds larger than herself.

My youngest daughter can change wall sockets & light switches, and understands the basics of how a house circuit is wired.

My son can identify the onset manic rage and remove himself from the aggravating situation before it takes him over (a lot tougher than it sounds).

15

No kids. Haven’t seen the nieces and nephews in nearly 40 years. They now have their own families which I’ve never met and am not likely to. I was good at giving toys, but not much else.

Best I can hope for is that somewhere sometime some kid will ask granny where she learned to spin yarn and granny will say “Well, there once was this nice woman at a fair…”

16

I read to my children (Things like Lord of the Rings at age 6), and they have vivid imaginations, exceptional literacy, and long attention spans for information that is not visual.