I've been thinking a lot about legacy lately and what mine will be. Which is strange for me because legacy isn't one of those words that applies to me. Or at least I thought? Maybe this post is my attempt to work through that? Or maybe this will prove to be a random post that leads no where. I hope not.
When I think of legacy, I conjure images of generation upon generation of wealthy people whose forefathers helped to change the world. I imagine hallways lined with portraits of the men and women who came before the current generation. Garages filled with cars and closets filled with whatever it is the uber-wealthy wear these days. I imagine trust funds and mansions and children who have the means to fight for the cause that they believe in.
I know that most of what I believe is shaped by the many novels and movies that I've read and watched over the years. But still, it is something that I don't feel like Legacy is something that I should ever concern myself with. I grew up in trailer parks and old, dilapidated rental houses that quite honestly should have been condemned. My parents were dirt floor poor, as were their parents, and their parents before them. A trust fund was something you only read about in books or saw on TV.
Fast forward to present day and you find me, arguably, the most successful Livingston or Watts from either of may parents lineage. I fully admit that my definition of success is only based on my perception of what makes me happy, so to say that I am the most successful is likely up for debate - but I digress. I have a wife who loves me and has been as loyal a friend and partner as anyone could have ever asked for. I have a daughter who, though I question this most of the time as she is exhibiting the early signs of puberty, loves and adores me. I have 2 of 3 steps sons who I consider close family members (the 3rd is a work in progress). While I have since lost touch with my family, I have in-laws that love and support me.
I have a great job that I love. I work with and for some incredibly people. My mother could not have fathomed my current salary (don't be too impressed - dirt floor poor, remember). I have built an incredible professional network and continue to try and grow professional. I have a bachelors degree's in Computer Science and Biology and a Master's Degree in Computer Science. I am financially stable, well-educated, and have a strong family life. But that is not a legacy. Or at least not a legacy as I think of one.
So, I want to (re)define what legacy means to me and what I want/hope that my legacy ends of being. Legacy, for me, should mean a lasting impact that I left on the world. An impact that saves or makes lives better for others and its something that my daughter Emily can build on, if she so chooses. I also want her to be able to read about this journey, so that she can understand that (to quote one of my favorite movies quotes of all time): "It's not who you are underneath. It's what you do that defines you".
So, I want to do something that will change the lives of others. I want to make an impact on the world. I want that to be my legacy. My legacy can't be billions of dollars and trust funds. My legacy can be something that will impact others for the better. I have chosen climate change as that something. I will tell you that most of my family disagrees with me, but I firmly believe that we are destroying this planet and, to quote another favorite movie line, "the bill comes due". I don't know which of my grandchildren or grandchildren's children or grandchildren's children's children will be stuck with this particular bill, but I know that a eventually a Livingston grandchild will.
So with this, I officially kick off "The Weather Project" which I will sometimes refer to as The Emily Project. And I am now off to learn everything that I can about the weather....
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