Homemade sugar cookies for my college kids; complete with my signature smiley face

It’s that time of year, again… Holiday preparations. Care packages filled with a little love for my college kids to have during their exams. Catching up on paperwork I let go whilst I spent the summer playing and vacationing….

In my queue of story ideas, I have been wanting to write about the human legacy, a thought that was spawned after a conversation with a friend.

As I searched through previous pieces for something to fill this week’s gap, I stumbled across this post. I forgot that I had touched on this very subject of legacy, shortly after I began this blog.

Below is that original piece.

Holiday Mathis provided this Capricorn horoscope, today:

“Your imprint on others is emotional. Think about what kind of mood you capture, embody and unintentionally inflict on others. That’s what will remain after you’ve left the room.”

Wow… As I read this, many things bombarded me at once.

First of all, my life’s work seems to be attached to the emotional connection with myself and with others.

Secondly, I have often wondered what my impact is on those I come in contact with, even more so since I began this blog.

I also thought about the clichés that identify how we humans affect others’ lives: “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may mean the world.” “You reap what you sow.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

The litany of inspiration could unfold for hours…

That’s what will remain after you’ve left the room.

 What will be my legacy?

What will I leave behind?

What affect, if any, am I having on you, right now?

All too often, we acknowledge only the negative impact others have on us, when in essence, it is the simple, positive gesture or kindness that buoys us through, that brightens the darkest days and shimmers in the brightest lights.

If I were asked to identify one of my life purposes, I guess it would be just that, to reflect light back onto the world.

Do I succeed in doing so? I believe I have experienced some success in this area, reflecting light onto others, as well as unto myself.

For had I not accomplished some modicum of success with regard to myself, I wouldn’t be here, blogging about life and learning. Ha!

And, as I copied the astrological prediction for my day, I noticed something else–“Think about what kind of mood you capture, embody and unintentionally inflict on others.”

Unintentionally inflict.

Immediately, these two words conjure a negative impact. It has long been understood by psychologists that one cannot control how another reacts to his words or actions.

No matter our intention, or lack thereof, how one perceives something we do or say is determined by his current states of mind and environment.

It is not within our control. We can only affect change and response and mood within ourselves.

That said, how we conduct ourselves does have potential to impact on another, whether we have purpose in our actions or words, or not.

I make a conscious effort to be mindful of how I treat others.

Sometimes to a fault. I strive to harness a pensive, yet peaceful mood, one that embodies hope and captures courage.

Love, peace, harmony, balance, learning…those are a few of the elements I hope to leave behind each time I leave this room, each time I send my words out into the world.

I close this post and leave you with two questions to ponder.

Are those the moods you’ve discovered here? How would you describe your imprint on others?

Soon…