LEGACIES

In some way or another, our lives are often shaped by the people we associate with. Proverbs 13:20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. There is a famous hymn, only remembered by what you have done, and many people are plagued with the question," what is my purpose in life or what is the meaning of life". We have been conditioned to think that we must do something extraordinary to leave our mark in the sands of time. But in actuality, the reverse is the case. There is nothing too big or nothing too small what matters is the indelible mark you leave in people's hearts.

On a fateful day in August 2017, I woke up to the news that one of my close friends had died. I could not believe this, because we had talked and made plans for the future just a day before. You see, I had just moved to Australia, I was scared and unsure if I had made the right move and of course, I called her to discuss my fears and being her usual self she calmed me down and promised to come to visit when I am adequately settled. So imagine my shock. I couldn't leave my bed that morning. I kept on crying; I was devastated. I even sent her a message hoping she would respond. I prayed for a miracle and that she would rise from the dead like Lazarus. But when it dawned on me that she was gone. I prayed that her death would not be in vain.

I first met her in 2014 when her boyfriend introduced me to her. I was new to the city of Newcastle, UK and knew nobody except her boyfriend, who was introduced to me by a mutual friend before I went to the UK. He helped me find accommodation and planted me in a church; the most precious gift was meeting his girlfriend because she changed my life and my outlook on life.

Not trying to exaggerate; I often think about and miss her practically every month for the past five years since her life was cut short. This is because she greatly influenced my life, and I see her in everything I do, making me think about the concept of legacy.

How did She influence my life?

Confidence: Growing up, I have always been tiny. My mum is an excellent dancer, and so is my younger sister, and I love to dance. I was safe to dance at home, but people always said I would break or make mean comments whenever I attempted to dance in public. This took a toll on my confidence. As such, I refused to dance in public.

However, when I met Grace 8yrs ago, things turned out for the better. I was surprised when she invited me to join the church dance group. I laughed at her, saying, " Do you want me to break my bones? This is the standard response to people who ask me to do something I thought I could not do because I am small. But she made me realise I could do anything, I joined the group, but that meant I had to work extra, so I would record the dance steps and learn them on my own after the group rehearsals. Today I dance without reservations, and I couldn't care less what people think.

Ephesians 4:29: Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment so that it will give Grace to those who hear.

Stand out: I have always been afraid to be seen. That is because I have always been shy and don't like to be in the spotlight. If there were any way to avoid drawing attention to myself, I would gladly take it, but that was before I met Grace. Today, I am not afraid to be different because she taught me to embrace who I am and the things that make me happy. She taught me not to hide in the shadows but let my light shine.

She was creative and artistic, letting it show in how she dressed. I remember walking into her room and seeing her collection of shoes. I was not fascinated by how many shoes she had but by what she had done with the shoes. She redesigned the shoes with beads and stones and also had a matching purse to go with them. This always makes her stand out, but she was not afraid of that, and that made me love her more and changed my perception about hiding behind the shadows.

Meeting Grace made me realise there is nothing wrong with being different and staying true to myself. I do not need to change who I am or what I enjoy doing to fit into a mould.

Determination: Whatever she puts her mind to, she always follows through. She chases every of her ambition and dreams with courage, Grace and perseverance. She was one lady I greatly admired.

Loves Selflessly and Gives Generously: You cannot help but be drawn to who Grace is. She has got the warmest smile and heartiest laughter. She loves selflessly and gives generously. The way she embraced me like a sister when we met

I can go on about the things I learnt from her that I am putting into practice. In a nutshell, meeting Grace reignited the passion I had buried because of the negative comments and insecurities I had felt. And now, every day I wake up, I think of the one person I am impacting their lives that even if I am no more, they cannot stop thinking about me because of how much I have influenced their lives, and can keep on the legacy like I am maintaining Graces' through my life. Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

So the key takeaway is to be mindful of our words and ensure we are uplifting people through what we say. Love people regardless of who they are, and give your time, talent, and resources generously.

Until next time enjoy yourselves,

Victoria

NB: For this blog, I used a fictitious name for my friend.