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I was just watching my neighbor pull into his driveway. Two energetic children tumbled out of the van, and Daddy made sure to get something brightly-colored from the back seat. He was in business attire complete with tie, so it was clear he'd picked up the children on his way home from work.
All those little things that go along with parenting, I thought. He picked them up; he's carrying that tote bag or whatever into the house for them. They may never consciously remember that he did this today.
I realize raising a family is one of those things that give meaning to people's lives. What's his purpose, today? The point of his life? In part, it's to work in many ways small and large to ensure his children get food and schooling and whatever else they'll need. In a way, parents are producing something for later. Their work lays a foundation for people who will (hopefully) outlive them. I could look at it as seeking immortality, I suppose. I could look at it as selfish promotion of one's own genes. Today I choose to see it as giving to the future.
Some people give to the future through innovation. The more inventions are made today, the more choices and possibilities are available for people tomorrow. Some people give to the future through their day jobs: teaching, for example, or working for the environment, or building roads. Some people discover a polio vaccine or write classic plays. Some set up scholarship funds.
I want to give to the future. And I haven't. My day job, when I had one, didn't even give to the present. I won't be raising a family. I want to think more about the ways I'd like to give to the future.
Is giving to the future important to you? If so, what ways are meaningful to you?
All those little things that go along with parenting, I thought. He picked them up; he's carrying that tote bag or whatever into the house for them. They may never consciously remember that he did this today.
I realize raising a family is one of those things that give meaning to people's lives. What's his purpose, today? The point of his life? In part, it's to work in many ways small and large to ensure his children get food and schooling and whatever else they'll need. In a way, parents are producing something for later. Their work lays a foundation for people who will (hopefully) outlive them. I could look at it as seeking immortality, I suppose. I could look at it as selfish promotion of one's own genes. Today I choose to see it as giving to the future.
Some people give to the future through innovation. The more inventions are made today, the more choices and possibilities are available for people tomorrow. Some people give to the future through their day jobs: teaching, for example, or working for the environment, or building roads. Some people discover a polio vaccine or write classic plays. Some set up scholarship funds.
I want to give to the future. And I haven't. My day job, when I had one, didn't even give to the present. I won't be raising a family. I want to think more about the ways I'd like to give to the future.
Is giving to the future important to you? If so, what ways are meaningful to you?
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I didn't want children for that reason, but I'm immensely proud that from the age of four, my daughter has wanted to work with the Deaf, and is now a sign language interpreter, enabling deaf people to communicate fully in every aspect of society.
I've volunteered my services continuously since I was about 20, working on crisis hotlines, in battered women's shelters, founding a support group for young widows, leading Girl Scouts, helping in schools, and now working for my church. I have no idea what specific results my efforts may have had over the years, but I'm sure that along the way I improved some people's lives and futures. I know that I made a major impact on the future of my UU church (and thus on the lives of the people in the congregation) by instigating the adoption, and shepherding the institution, of a radically different form of governance which will benefit the congregation for many years into the future (if future boards don't screw it up!)
All these things are my legacies to the future.
It's interesting that you ask that question today, because the central theme of the Small Group Ministry retreat I'm helping to plan and lead this weekend is our legacies! The three small-group sessions will focus on past, present and future in that context.
As one of the planners, so far I've been thinking exclusively about the overall retreat and the session I'm doing. Your question helped me start thinking about my personal answers might be. Thank you! (There are no coincidences....)