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At the end of the year and now the beginning of another, I have been writing about the value of creating a legacy and of establishing tributes. Since legacy work is an important part of living a life that matters, it is never too early to think about the difference we are making and the memories that we are leaving behind. As I said in a previous post, research says that most people fear being forgotten. When we live on in the memories of others, then we are remembered.
Legacies can be negative so it would be wise to be cognizant of the fact that people remember the good things we do and the not so good. So how do we want to be remembered?
For the month of October, Caribou Coffee had a poster in their stores with the following message:
About Amy 1995
Amy Erickson, out beloved Roastmaster, loved life, laughter, and of course, coffee. In fact, the craft-roasting standards she established still make our coffee what it is today. When Amy began her fight with breast cancer, we created Amy's Blend to help with her medical bills. We now bring this special blend back yearly in memory of Amy–and to help find a cure. Here's to Amy!
(There was a great photo of Amy on the poster and a short message about Amy on each coffee cup jacket during October.)
What struck me about this short tribute, was how I felt I knew Amy after reading it. These few words communicated so much about her spirit, commitment, and the legacy people remembered about her. A tradition has been created so that each October, Amy is remembered by those who knew her and even by those (such as me) who did not.
Another tribute in December caught my attention. My husband and I went to a basketball game at the University of Iowa. While my husband was busy watching the game, I was observing the cheerleaders and reading the program. Toward the back of the program there was a page dedicated to the Chris Street Award. The first paragragh said:
"The Chris Street Award, named in honor of former Hawkeye Chris Street, is presented annually to 'A Hawkeye who best exemplifies the spirit, enthusiasm, and intensity of Chris Street.' Street died in an auto accident January 19, 1993, 15 games into his junior season as an Iowa Hawkeye."
Then there were three paragraphs talking about his basketball accomplishments in such a short time. And the last paragraph said:
"It didn't matter how well you knew Chris Street. Maybe you were lucky enough to work with Chris everyday in practice. Maybe as a Hawkeye fan you enjoyed watching Chris play the 73 games of his Iowa career. Maybe you only saw him play one game as a Hawkeye. Maybe you never saw Chris play basketball at all and only knew him as a young, vibrant college student. Whether you knew him for years or only met him once, he left an indelible impression. For those of us who knew him, there are memories that will last forever.
Reverend David C. Bayne, in his eulogy, said it best: There wasn't a phony bone in his body … he was pure gold."
Since I went to college with the father of Chris, I remember right where I was when I heard the news about the accident involving Chris Street. The whole state of Iowa was mourning this loss of such a promising young life. A friend of ours from Chicago said that in the Chicago Tribune there was an article about Chris where the bus driver of the team bus told how Chris would write thank you notes to the drivers for getting them to and from games safely.
With this tribute and scholarship, people will remember Chris Street. He left a legacy.
I often think:
For what do I want to be remembered?
What will people say about me after I am gone?
I encourage my leadership students and participants in workshops that these are questions we should think about daily in order to keep our actions aligned with the vision we have for ourselves.
Doc, I used to play with Chris when he was just 2 years old, such a darling boy ! Mike Street & I were very close during his years at Central and we remain close today; we communicate several times a month. Why don’t you stop by and see him ? He has a business in Indianola…
I liked this because I have heard of Chris Street and his accident, but not about his great legacy that he left. This made me think about how people see me and what type of person I’m perceived as. I know what I want people to think, but I need to make it a reality by purposely working towards my vision. Some people think that to leave a legacy or be remembered you have to do something unbelievable or great, but truly you just need to be a genuinely good person with good values and who did everything they could to help others and reach their personal goals. It makes me happy when people are “rewarded” for having a heart of gold.
This was a great read on Chris Street. Growing up in a Hawkeye household, I always heard about this tragedy from my dad. I was only five at the time, so I did not fully realize the heartbreak of the situation. As I matured, I appreciated his legacy so much more. It is so cool to me that an exceptional athlete like Chris was known just as much for his exceptional character as his smooth jumper.
I think legacy is an important thing to think about. I sometimes wonder what people will remember me by, and I always think of what I remember those people by, who I have lost in my life. I remember their character, how they treated others, and my favorite memories with them. I think legacy correlates well with having a mission statement. If we truly live by our mission statement, I think that’s what people will remember us by. Our actions leave lasting impressions and I think by having good character, helping others, and building relationships, we’ll leave an imprint in many people’s lives.
It is cool to hear stories about people that were not only great athletes, but also great people. Recently I found a newspaper article about Chris Street that was saved at our house. Reading about him made me realize that athletes can be more than just athletes, they can affect people in ways other than on the court.
I agree with Anthony. It is cool to hear about people who not necessarily were the star player, but still had an impact. Recently we shared our eulogies that we wrote about ourselves in class. I found it hard to decide what exactly I wanted to include. I think that as we go through life, we need to remember all of the triumphs more than we remember the negatives. This will help us with clarity when it comes to deciding what we want to be remembered by.
Stories of legacy make you want to become that type of person. Like you said we are reminded to, “keep our actions aligned with the vision we have for ourselves.” Hearing other’s legacies helps to take a step back and look at your own life while you remember the great things these people have done for us. It seems incredible what some people have accomplished in their short lives. It helps me to remember to make the most of it!