In a flash moment, I thought of Patrick Swayze in the context of my life and touchstones.  It occurred to me that contemporaries of mine are dying.  In much the same way, someone in their 80s may have felt their mortality as well-known persons of their generation passed on.

My time is coming.  It may still be far off, it may not.  But no matter what, I am questioning what kind of legacy I might leave.  Folks speak of children being one’s legacy, but really that is such a small part.  I measure my legacy (and anyone else’s) by the friendships I have had, the generosity of my children (they MUST have gotten that from me), the pieces of creativity I scattered amongst my friends and acquaintances,  the little tasks I took on so someone else could skip them, the space of laughter that my body filled.

When I got my iTouch, it took a couple of weeks to decide what the engraving would be before I could order it.  It really resonates for me:  LIVE.  LAUGH.  LOVE.  KNIT.  I want my friends to say that I engaged and really lived – that I wasn’t just sitting around letting Life happen.  Shit happens, but to live you gotta get out there and be proactive.