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Reflections: Live & Leave a Legacy
My role model, my grand dad

Reflections: Live & Leave a Legacy My role model, my grand dad

It was my 15th Birthday and the year was 1983. I received a letter from my grandfather which I have treasured till date.

It is an old inland letter of those days. This was the last letter that my granddad wrote to me as he died the same year. For so many of my birthdays since then, I have read it just to evaluate my life in the light of his desires for me. When my son celebrated his 15th birthday, I asked him to read it as well. What was so precious about a letter? Is it because he was a famous personality that I had preserved it? No, he was an ordinary man who cared about his eldest grandson walking in the path of righteousness. I had never valued it then, but after a few years of his death, when I stumbled upon this letter, I broke down into tears as I realized his heart beat for me. His profound wisdom mainly quoting the scriptures was remarkable, His desire to see me molded into a person with character and godliness was explicit. He wanted his grandson to a blessing channel to so many in this world.

Though he wasn’t any famous personality or had travelled much, his letter to his grandson has traveled to many nations, where I have read it to varied audiences as an encouragement to grandparents to leave a godly legacy. I have met a few people who told me how the letter impacted them and they also have started to work on their relationship with their grand children. One grandmother said, I have written letters which are to be read only after my life time. She is documenting it as a Will document to be read after her death. What an impact of a man who decided to pen his desires for his grandson. Little would he have imagined that his inland letter to his grandson would stay alive to make an impact for another 30 years and more!

I have realized that the greatest gift that we could leave for our Children and grandchildren is not just real estate and mansions, but lifestyle and godly character. I would not have taken this letter seriously if his lifestyle did not back it up. He was a tyre retreading business man, but known for his integrity, his care and concern for people. I grew up in my grandparents home till I was six years old and I keenly used to listen and watch him talking to people and interacting with the poor and those memories are imprinted in my mind. I’m sure he would not have realized that two little eyes were observing him while he went about his daily chores. If there is a desire I truly have today is to have a lifestyle like that of my granddad. I feel I fall short of the standards that I have observed in him and it truly serves as an impetus for my own growth in many areas of my life.

I hope this would inspire some of you to live and leave a godly legacy for the future generation. We needn’t have to wait to become granddads or grandmas to do it. It can start now!

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