Welcome to Three-Peat Tuesdays!
Building from my recent book UNBEATABLE! Seven Pillars of Personal Excellence, each blog will contain three P’s: Pillar, Principle and Practical, all geared towards nourishing you on your personal and spiritual growth journey.
Pillar: Legacy is Intangible
“His courage is his legacy, our inheritance.”-Nita Sue Kent, Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul
Principle: Legacy Outlives
February 28, 2021 was the fourth anniversary of the death of my mother-in-law, Nellita Bennett. Her memory lives on in the hearts of those she impacted with her deep and genuine love. Her legacy is not in question.
Perhaps more than anything else, two of “Nelly’s” most outstanding qualities in my eyes were her generosity and her faith. Nelly was a giver. She worked hard and she provided for those entrusted to her care. It did not matter whether she had much or whether she had little. She gave.
Not only was she generous, but she also had a simple faith regarding divine provision and providence. On more than one occasion her business place caught fire. Michelle and I were living in Jamaica during the fire that occurred around the year 2001. When we arrived at the scene, Nelly was smiling.
Yep. You heard me correctly. “How could you smile when your source of income goes up in flames?” you ask? Amazingly, the first words I remember her saying were these: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away”(Job 1:21). What faith!
Did Nelly bounce back from yet another fire? Oh yes, she did! As with any business person, she faced her ups and downs after that time, but she continued to give to others even through difficulty and she never worried about her next meal.
Nelly’s legacy outlives her.
Practical: Legacy Matters
I ask you to consider one question this week: what is the one thing that people will remember you for after you die?
If you were inspired by this blog, please consider sharing it with one other person today. To learn more about these and other related themes that promote the cultivation of an integrated inner self, read UNBEATABLE! which is now available on Amazon in print and as an e-book.
This Post Has 6 Comments
Yes. I remember the moment and I was worried that she would have been upset. The fire for her was a way for her to continue to trust God, and trusting God she did. Loved and missed dearly and I am glad to have the memories that maintain the connection I still feel with her.
Nellita Bennett-A very special lady.
Thank you Tyrone for your beautiful words. Mummy was a pillar of strength, a phenomenal woman. She set great examples for her girls and today I am a testament of her words and wisdom. She will always be in my heart and she is surely missed.
Laurel, your mom made a powerful impact in a quiet manner. Her heart was beautiful.
Tyrone, you surely captured who Nelly was by the 2 qualities you noted. She was known by many for those characteristics which definitely continue to live on after her.
Indeed, Hope. She was a gift to us.