Legacy That Matters Most
What I inherited, what I kept, and what I'm passing on.
Legacy can be a heavy word.
We talk about it in terms of empires, careers, generational wealth, or public recognition. And sure, all of that can matter. But it’s not the legacy I’m most focused on.
I come from a line of complicated women.
I could have carried forward a legacy of pain. Of becoming another woman in my family who had a child she didn’t want. Of continuing cycles of chaos, silence, or survival at all costs.
But I also come from a line of women who were strong as hell.
Women who survived slavery, the Dust Bowl, poverty, and hardship. Women who made hard choices, believed fiercely in education, and dreamed of more for their children.
And I come from love. Specifically love from an imperfect dad who genuinely wanted to understand me, who wanted me to know the God he loved, not just by instruction, but by example.
That’s a legacy too.
And it gave me a choice.
I don’t always get it right.
I can be prickly.
I can be difficult.
I can be sarcastic and sharp and snarky.
I can be mean.
But I try. And more than anything, I try to show up with love, empathy, compassion, and kindness.
That’s the legacy I want to live, not just leave.
Not the title on my CV or the success of my teams, though I care about those deeply.
The legacy I care most about is how I love.
How I show up for my friends.
How I walk alongside people in hard seasons.
How I love my people…especially as a sister, aunt, and friend.
When I think about the legacy I’m building, I think of the ways I’ve loved the children in my life (related and not). The space I made for them to say anything to me. The fierceness with which I have protected them. The generosity I’ve tried to show them whenever possible. The memories we’ve made. The moments when love was the whole point.
That’s what I hope will live on.
And now I’ll ask you…
What is your legacy?
What will live on after you’re gone?
What will follow you when you walk out of the room?
Is it your career? Your family? The art you create? The people you’ve lifted up?
What does your legacy look like?
What does it feel like?
And how does it show up in your world right now?
Much Love,
Leah