A Quick Thought On Legacy Building

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Hadrian had a wall built. Napoleon had an empire worth fighting for (as did Alexander T.G., Genghis K., and Earle B.). The Donald has tall buildings and cologne adorned with his surname. Bob is about to get a room at UNB named after him. Everybody was/is happy.

All men. All with great big giant egos.

Me? I'm a tall man with a small ego. I prefer to make footprints in the sand, knowing full well that they'll be washed away with the next tide. Somehow, the thought of leaving no trace is appealing.

When I die, I don't want a tombstone or anything that says I was here. I want my ashes scattered to the four winds high atop Cadillac Mountain (or maybe Dorr Mountain) on Mount Desert Island in Maine. I want to live among the pink granite boulders and the stunted spruce, lichens and blueberries.

I'd also like a little to be saved for Les Iles de la Madeleine, because it's a special place of which I'd like to be a part. I'd love to live with the sand.

I think it sounds a bit morbid. Hey, I just thought of something...when you go, I go. You'd better start looking after yourself. Umm, I mean us.

Don't worry, I'm going to be around for a long time. There are a lot of waves yet to catch. I want to live to see an Environment Canada wind forecast that's correct. Yesterday's forecast was for winds SW 40-70. I went to Saint John and found hurricane force winds blowing in from the west at 15 km/h.

You sound both sarcastic and bitter.

I am. It was incredible how they misread the wind, but not unexpected. Alas, there are no epic windsurfing photographs to share this morning. Only footprints in the sand and snow. They make me think, however, and thinking is good.

Do you want to build a legacy or blow in the wind? Do you want to leave lingering memories or lasting monuments? Do you want to help others, or help yourself. These are things worth pondering.

I hate to do this because it's not in my nature, but I agree with you.