Leaving a Legacy
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy. It started a few weeks ago at my late father-in-law’s memorial service. The pastor talked about the impact my husband’s parents had on him and countless others in their church. Houston’s mom, Edna (she passed away nine years ago), taught a Sunday School class of young, married adults for probably 30 years. And Houston’s dad, Jimmy, made sure everyone had a seat, a cup of coffee and someone to talk with. They were the quintessential dynamic duo.
Not only did they invest in those couples who were just starting out; they also invested heavily in their children and grandchildren. In fact, one woman who had been in their class told me she always admired how well Edna and Jimmy balanced spending time with us and our kids with their responsibilities at church. Houston and I were the first in the family to have children - four in a space of six years. If I had a dollar for every time they made the four hour drive to come visit us or to stay with the kids, I’d be a rich woman. As a matter of fact, I AM rich. We all are because of the legacy Jimmy and Edna left us.
It’s natural when doing estate planning to consider financial assets and how those will be appropriated among the descendents. But what about the intangibles that are left to kids, grandkids, friends, neighbors and others in the community? It seems to me that is a much more valuable legacy.
My in-laws were probably the most hospitable people I’ve ever known. There was never a holiday where another couple or family didn’t join all of us for food and fellowship. Besides the dining table, there was the kitchen table and a card table, all set with the best china and silver. Jimmy and Edna always wanted others to feel like they belonged. They were great at connecting people and making sure folks felt included. They left this legacy of hosting not only to Houston and me, but to his siblings and their families and to all of those who came into contact with them.
As beneficiaries of the wealth they bequeathed, Houston and I have been able to welcome many into our home and onto our farm - for meals, lodging and some good old fashioned conversation. It’s not lost on me that this is something special, something that not everyone experiences. I’m grateful for my in-laws and their legacy.
This piece first appeared in Sherry’s column, Finding Myself in a Small Town, in the July 27, 2024 edition of the Corsicana Daily Sun.
Recent Posts
See AllIt turns out I’m an entrepreneur. I’ve known for many years that my husband Houston is, but this is a new realization about myself. It...
Last week I checked off an item on my bucket list. I now own - along with my husband Houston - a building in Corsicana’s Main Street...
A friend I’ve known for 10 or more years from our days in Dallas recently moved to Corsicana with her husband. We’ve begun getting...
Comments