The Stuff Left Behind

How many of us are going to leave an indelible mark on the world when all is said and done? Who among us has the lasting power of a John Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, or even Elvis? Not many. That is a very elite group of personalities who will be remembered throughout history.

But what becomes of all the regular Joe's who don't have that star power? Are they any less important? I don't think so. They are every bit as important but just to a smaller audience. Their passing is mourned with as heavy a heart as is that of a more globally famous person.

How shall they be remembered? The memory of everyday events will soon fade away, only to occasionally returned in a blurred vision of the past. There is the potential for some form of monetary inheritance from those lucky enough to have something left to give, but that is more often than not squandered away on frivolity and half baked ideas. The only lasting thing will be those little items that will mean absolutely nothing to anyone else other than the holder of the memory.

The treasures will vary from something as simple as a tiny trinket to a favorite piece of furniture, from items worth mere pennies to expensive jewelery. But to the recipient it is priceless. It is a lasting connection to the past.

Handcrafted heirlooms hold the highest emotional value. They came from the heart and hands of the craftsman solely for the owner. Those are the things remind us that the builder thought as much of us as we thought of them.

Hold on to the stuff left behind. Whatever it is it's priceless in ways only the keeper of the memories will ever know.