Another "it just happens", perhaps correlated with the legacy concept is the reality of our own mortality. In my reading last night I stumbled upon (thank you Twitter) this op ed piece in the New York Times about mortality by Timothy Egan. It has an admittedly mountaineering/outdoor bent which narrowly appeals to me, but there are some nuggets in the article for everyone. Three specifically:
1. It’s a bad day when the most creative thing you do is come up with an unoriginal form of self-pity.
2. ...the real tragedy is not every click of the postpartum clock, but how we have come to see aging as a disease.
3. It may be true, as George Orwell said, that “at 50, everyone has the face he deserves.” Orwell died at 46, so his observation was purely speculative. But what about the body we deserve?
Although not always successful in the way I want to be, hence the NY resolutions and goals for us all, I try to embrace to concept of living in the moment and earning the face/mind/body/soul/life that I want to have. If I do that consistently over time I'm hopeful my legacy, whatever may be chosen for me by those I leave behind after I die, will work out in a way that mirrors the way I lived.
Great article Brad. Another account of someone who continues to keep busy doing something, anything really. When the body (or the mind) goes still it begins to shut down and die. I observed this first hand with our Grandma's. The message is keep busy and active, physically and mentally. If you do, it's the best recipe for a long and happy life.
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