Written by Chaplain Stephanie
When we think of the word legacy we might think of the money or other material objects we plan to pass on to our families after we die. These things are a gift and many people cherish the family heirlooms that have been passed down to them. We might not all have valuable heirlooms to pass on to our families, but we can all leave a spiritual legacy for our loved ones. A spiritual legacy includes the values, beliefs, passions, life lessons we’ve learned, and the unique stories of our lives which we can leave behind as a gift for others. A couple of years ago, I led a series of group discussions on leaving a legacy with residents at The Court. We talked about the value of leaving such a legacy and explored a variety of ways to do that. 
Greg is a resident of The Villa whom I have gotten to know throughout his time living on our campus. At one point, Greg was struggling with some physical health challenges which were causing him some distress and I asked him if he had ever considered writing the story of his life. As a chaplain, I often engage people in life review: conversations that encourage reflection on life events and experiences to discover their value, meaning, and purpose. Author, Steve Leder, in his book, For You When I Am Gone, says “Telling our stories is a way to share whatever meaning and joy we have found along the way, the depth of our love for others and for life itself. It is a way of saying not only that we the storyteller matter, but even more so the beloved listener.” I thought that reflecting and engaging in a practice of life review would help Greg find meaning in his past experiences and help him see how his resilience and strength in dealing with past challenges could help him cope with his current struggles. Little did I know that working with Greg and listening to him reflect on his life would lead to a published book that has now been read and enjoyed by many people on the Felician Village campus! Perhaps the idea of writing a book seems daunting but we can all find a way to pass on our spiritual legacy to others. Here are a few ways you might capture your spiritual legacy.
- Write letters to your loved ones, including what you would like them to remember about you, what you are most proud of accomplishing, and what has been most important to you in your life.
- Write your own obituary. Make it personal by including the events and people who have influenced your life and made it meaningful.
- Host a family gathering and ask each person to give you a question or two ahead of time — something they would like to learn about you. At the gathering, someone could record you answering the questions.
Not all of us will decide to publish our life’s story like Greg did, but there is great value in considering how each of us could leave a spiritual legacy for our family and loved ones. The wisdom, values, life lessons, and stories of our lives that we leave for our loved ones are the fragrance of life that will remain long after we are gone.