The Things We Leave Behind

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Have you ever heard or seen something and instinctively known it was meant for you? Had one of those moments when it seems like time slows down and you’re looking at something or picturing whatever it is in your mind, flashing at you with neon lights? I had one of those moments this week.

​I was listening to my latest audiobook (Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid - it’s so good!) when one of the characters said to another, “I don’t want that to be my legacy.”

​That sentence stopped me in my tracks. I had to stop the audio and just think about it for a bit.

​We are all aware that any random day could be our last, right? So, I have to ask, if today were your last day, what is the legacy you’re leaving behind?

Some background

​The definition of legacy I’m talking about is this - the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.

​I’d love to say that I was the best daughter, sister, friend, wife, mom, stepmom, aunt, and grandma I could be, and I really do try to be, but I know that’s most likely not my legacy. I’d also like to be able to say I wrote life-changing books that helped or entertained millions of people, but that’s still in the works.

​After attending a recent bridal shower for one of my former students, my legacy clinched into place. If today were my last day here, I can confidently say I would be remembered for Circle Time.  

​I’ve talked about Circle Time before, but people keep bringing it up, and it falls under the category of being surrounded by neon flashing lights, so I’m pretty sure this is my legacy.

​Circle Time came about during the last two or three years of my teaching career. A speaker came to talk to the teachers during an in-service day. She mentioned that often the one element missing from school was that we weren’t taking care of the students’ mental health. There were too many stories about kids dying by suicide and teachers, parents, and family members having zero idea that the person had been struggling.

​She had us do a mental check-in activity where we gathered in a circle, sitting on the floor. She asked us how we were doing and we were told to give a thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumb in the middle if we were just okay. We then went around the circle and explained to each other why we were happy, sad, or okay.

​For whatever reason, I decided to run with this idea. I knew my kids would think it was cheesy, so I ran with that too, reminding them of how much they had loved having Circle Time in Kindergarten.

​Originally, I tried to sell it to them as Tribal Council because we were playing a year-long Survivor game. But my kids loved the idea of calling it Circle Time. They also loved that they were getting out of “classwork” by doing it. So it began.

​Little did they know that by the time they graduated, almost every kid needed Circle Time. We shared personal struggles, we laughed with each other, and we cried together. They may not have had to do “work” during Circle Time, but they were doing the work of becoming kind, caring human beings, and it was amazing to watch the transformation.  

Back to the present

​So at the bridal shower I recently attended, when we introduced ourselves and I said I had been the bride’s English teacher, and her mom talked about how her daughter still cries out that she needs Circle Time, I was so proud to hear it.

​We all have the opportunity every single day to leave behind a better legacy than the one we’re leaving right now. You have numerous interactions with others where you could be kinder, more understanding, or even a better listener. There’s plenty of room for all of us to improve in this category.

​If you're nervous that the legacy you're leaving behind is less than stellar, and you're alive to read/listen/watch this, you still have time!

​If Circle Time is the legacy I’m leaving behind, and it means that I helped some kids feel seen and heard so much that they’re still talking about it several years later, I’m happy with that.