Leaving a legacy...

How would you like to be thought of when you die?

What kind of legacy do you want to leave for this world?

Source: eighttentenblog.blogspot.com.au via Megan on Pinterest

Do you want to be remembered as being a wild and crazy risk taker? Careful, thoughtful and organised? A passionate and loving friend?

I want to be remembered as being kind.

As it says in Luke 6: 32-36

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Being kind is something that has been playing on my mind a lot this year, and it’s an area I’m feeling the need to explore. What does it mean to be kind? Is there such a thing as true kindness – or do all good deeds come with the expectation of an eventual payoff, be it tangible or emotional?

It’s a truly amazing thing to experience giving without the expectation of some type of return. I see people every day who are shining examples of kind souls - teachers, nurses, friends, co-workers, bosses, the well off, and the needy.

To be kind not only includes being seen to be doing good things for the world, but to be doing good deeds, time and time again with little thought for your own needs, but rather believing that the needs of others are (at least at that moment) more important than your own and acting accordingly.

Kindness can come in many forms and if I can be remembered as being kind, even by just one person, well, then that’s all the return I need.

Dear...

Dear Eva Simons,

You sound a little like Justin Bieber. Take that how you will.

Sincerely,
Megan

And I shall shout my thoughts from the rooftops so that all the world will hear...

Source: Uploaded by user via Sandra on Pinterest

“I think writers are the most narcissistic people. Well, I musn't say this, I like many of them, a great many of my friends are writers.”
― Sylvia Plath

It's a daily battle against 'those people' .

The Up themselves. The Too confident. The Not so modest.

Not because they are rude or demeaning, I just don’t understand them. How is it that they can share their achievements, goals, thoughts and opinions so freely to any Tom, Dick, or Channing that happens to make eye contact? And this isn't just a real life situation, this is relevant to bloggers, journalists, Instagram 'selfie' takers.

I may also be a little jealous.

As a fairly shy person, for most of my life I have been wary of relaying thoughts that seem narcissistic in fear of being held up as being obnoxious or uppity. It’s just how I do. My mother is the same, neither of us are overly confident in expressing our pride or our confidence, and are not the types to tell the cashier at the shops about our achievements.

This is why I don’t have Twitter and rarely update my Facebook status. Who would want to hear what I have to say unless it’s important or something I find exceptionally witty (which although I find myself hilarious at all times, I don’t share in writing so I don’t get labelled as a pretentious over-sharer).

This is why, as a novice writer and blogger I have found it hard to update frequently. Who would want to hear my thoughts? I have a lot of opinions and ideas, but never the nerve to shout it from the proverbial rooftops. When it comes to sharing a project or outfit, something me-centric, I am paralysed with fear and can never press publish or never speak up.

It seems as though to be a successful writer you need to have a level of self confidence that surpasses the norm in order to feel that what you have to say is worthy of being heard and should be read by all.

Does anyone out there feel that in sharing their thoughts with the world they are doing a public disservice by putting more narcissism into the atmosphere - or are you a free sharer who will tell anyone with a pulse about your lifetime of achievements in bread making, your year 7 long jump win and your incredible proficiency at slamming down tequila?

Do you think narcissism comes hand in hand with being a writer?