Legacy

A new day began, but the old man had a tough time getting started. The sunlight streams into the bedroom, revealing his past: pictures on the walls, mementos, and other things that meant so much. He finally gets moving, and the floor creaks under his feet as if in sympathy for the way his body feels. He walks through the house that seems so empty now. It was not long ago that voices and other noises of life filled the air. The walls of the hallway are filled with pictures, like a time capsule, showing good times, accomplishments, and life events. As he enters the kitchen to make that first all-important cup of coffee, he recalls the good times around the table with family and friends, now gone. He sits at the table with the coffee cup to recall what his life meant. To him, at first, it has to be the accomplishments; he entered the Army right after high school. He got to see the world and made lifelong friends who he considers brothers to this day. From time to time, he gets a call from one of them as they check up on each other. He also takes time to call some of them to see how they are doing. These days, the list of people to call seems to get shorter as they go on to meet their reward. There are also nightmares from that time that still haunt him, but he has no regrets about his choice to serve.

A big corporation hired him after he left the Army, where he had become successful. His goals then were to climb that corporate ladder, which now seems so frivolous. Was the stress worth it? Was the alienation of the ones he loved so much worth it? Fortunately, a close friend pointed out what was happening, and he was able to re-evaluate and bring his family closer together, but at the cost of his career. Best decision he ever made. The financial struggle worsened, but he never felt more like a rich man than when his family got closer. Last year, when he had to bury his wife, it was the worst thing that had ever happened to him. She brought so much life, which seems to have faded away with her.

A knock at the door brought him out of his reminiscing. He heard the key turn the lock, which he knew meant his son was about to enter the house. He got up to pour a fresh cup of coffee for his son and to refresh his cup. He turned around and smiled as his son said, “Hi, Dad!” “Good morning, coffee?” The son replied, “Sure, thanks! We have time for a cup before we have to leave.” They talked about the small stuff, the weather, the yard, and house maintenance. When the cups were dry, they both got up to head out to the car. He grabs his coat on the way out. As he followed his son to the car, he saw that this is where the real legacy is, every week his son picks him up to go to church. The love for God that he and his wife instilled into all of their children was the true legacy.