The Significance of Legacy Writing
A Lasting Legacy
from The Sage’s Tao Te Ching by William Martin
If you want a lasting legacy,
Show how to be secure without being wealthy,
Show how to be safe without owning an arsenal,
Show how to be spiritual without being religious,
Show how to be serene without controlling events,
And show how to die Without being disturbed.
There are very few who can pass on such a legacy.
I knew one such, that was enough to change my life,
Are you spending your efforts on the right sort of estate?
Legacy Writing can take the form of a written story, poetry, set of beliefs or observations. It could be a blessing or even an apology. Legacy writing became important to me when I became a parent, which is also when my fear of dying began. Or rather, my fear of not being physically present on this earth (which I distinguish from fear of the dying process). When I explored this fear I realized that the root of it was related to the inability to continue teaching my children and walking them through life’s hardships. Enter legacy writing. I began writing down lessons and values I wanted to pass on to my children. With this came a sense of accomplishment and relief.
Legacy is defined as “something transmitted or received from an ancestor or predecessor from the past.” You might also see the term ‘ethical will’ used to describe writings that pass on values and history to future generations. This practice has its roots in Judaism and typically took place between a father and his eldest son. I prefer to use the term ‘legacy writing’ as a broader, non-patriarchal term.
Have you considered that you will leave a legacy whether you mean to or not? Legacy writing is one way we can be intentional about leaving a powerful expression of the way we lived our lives. I’m not suggesting you write your own eulogy (although it is quite the experience!) but I’ll give you a few ideas for beginning your own writing.
Before writing, it’s beneficial to take a moment to consider what guides you, such as your life philosophy, beliefs, and values. In my experience, once the words start flowing these guiding principles come to the surface as I sift through meaningful life experiences.
The simplest way to get started is a casual approach using prompts such as these which we use to support our clients when providing a life review. Choose a couple that you are drawn to and you may be surprised how much is right under the surface ready to be expressed.
-What stories do you hope people will continue to tell about you after you are gone?
-What sayings are important to you and why?
-What is the most important decision you ever made? How have your life experiences shaped you?
-What are you most proud of?
-What will you miss when you are gone?
A more structured approach to legacy writing is a ‘Letter of Blessing’ as outlined by author Rachael Freed in her book Your Legacy Matters. There are four parts to this model which creates a uniquely meaningful one page letter.
Context: Overview the history, reason, and time period of the coming story.
Story: Tell your experience in your own words.
Learning: This is the time to be personal, imperfect, and vulnerable providing a deeper meaning to the story told.
Blessing: Express your love, respect, and appreciation of the one whom you are writing to. Then, send your letter or file it away in an addressed envelope.
Taking time for self-reflection and connection is a deeply healing and spiritual practice. It is up to us to take the time to express ourselves while we have time, awareness, and access to our minds and hearts. I hope that you will be encouraged to implement some kind of writing to pass along as the future ancestor that you are.
If you would like more information on Legacy Writing, I recommend looking into the writings of Rachael Freed who has written multiple books on the subject and the teachings of Sandy Reynolds whose focus is on Conscious Aging, People Pleasing, and Sacred Rituals and offers virtual workshops on many great topics.