Love is Verb

They called him Peace and Love, and from him, I learned that love is a verb that goes hand in hand with legacy. He was imperfectly human challenged and blessed, but somehow made an impact on so many. When I look around, his legacy of love is very clear and it all goes back to the actions he took while he was alive.   A close friend once said that my relationship with my dad inspired him as a father, additionally, it's wonderful to see the employment opportunities he created for others.  

Myer is Hebrew for the planter of seeds, and his seeds/actions made my life, those around him and future generations a little easier.  It is very easy to get lost in checking emails, doing laundry picking up the children and other errands while losing sight of the things that might help you and future generations.  Some of us will willingly slap the "S" on our chest, pull the weight and tell ourselves it is our job to do any and everything for those around us, but I want us to live happier healthier lives. I'm borrowing from my sister and asking myself How can I work smart not hard? As Myer's daughter, a mother and an educator I am also asking myself: What legacy will I leave?  I offer this post to all those wearing an "S" on their chest with the encouragement that the S can also be short for Smart.

Every now and then we have to do a check-in. I love a good question and the question I ask myself is: What legacy will I leave? At some point, youthfulness, the households of children, and the physical body will fade, but our impact can live on. Let's make a conscious effort to love the next generation enough to leave them tools for their success.  Actions are the best way to learn, to teach and to reinforce an idea, which means we have to master the tools that we want them to learn.   Let's take this time to introduce a few terms:  Financial Literacy, Generational Wealth, and Emotional Wellbeing let's view this previous list as components of the positive legacy we will leave.

We all came to this post with different experiences, so I will just say financial literacy is understanding how money works. Simple actions you can take toward literacy include: creating a household budget and opening a bank account. Membership to a bank or credit union often provides access to people who will assist you on your journey via credit and financial counseling and sometimes at no additional charge. Another great resource is https://myfabfinance.com/. Understanding your finances will leave you healthy enough to leave financial resources for children coming after you( generational wealth)

Generational Wealth allows us to take care of others. Now that we have a healthy container we can share its components with those coming after us.   Whole term life insurance policies are a relatively inexpensive way to begin.  I know that might sound grim but as I mentioned earlier the physical body will diminish. I speak from experience when I say these policies decrease the amount of stress the family will endure during the mourning process; because they provide funds to handle things as well as possible seed money for the family to grow.  Here is a minority-owned company I know of https://getrossinsurance.com/RitaRossInsurance as well as a resource on generational wealth https://www.clevergirlfinance.com/blog/generational-wealth/

I want my legacy to include stories and examples of perseverance so that the next generation understands that not every day will be great but you can always do your best. There is saying that your outside world is just a reflection of you inside world.  Our emotional state matters.  I plan to be transparent about my challenges as well as success.  I tell my children( biological and fictive) that we all have a superpower, and I'm strong enough to ask for help from a person with a superpower that I don't have. It's ok to sit with a counselor of any sought that will help decrease your stress so that you can live a healthier life. Here is a minority-owned resource used by my loved one https://www.reclaiminghopellc.com/ but feel free to ask your health care provider. I want my legacy to be one of love, so I will do the necessary loving actions that will leave the next-generation tools and blueprints for a good life.

Please feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, and resources.

Hope you enjoyed this quick read. Remember to like, subscribe and share

💛Mya