How Are You Going To Leave Your Mark?

Lots of deep thinking today it seems. Over at TheMamaMaryShow, she asked the question that is the title of this post and it got me to thinking. It is a very important question for me. I admit, it wasn't even on my radar before I had I. but it is now, big time.

I remember when I. was a baby and nursing three times a night, 45 minutes at a time, I would sit rocking in the glider and thinking of all the things I hoped for my daughter. The thing I wished for most was that she would be happy and content in her life. Not successful, not a genius, just happy and content. I think that's the secret to a long, happy life but I could be wrong.

As she got older and got her nourishment from something other than me, I started thinking of this question in terms of just me. I think our 20's is about us or something close to us and then in our 30's we start thinking of things around and outside of ourselves. I still didn't have the complete answer until Mark died and it came to me. I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. It's not specific which is probably a good thing because it gives me latitude to define what "a difference" means.

I definitely know that a major part of that is raising I. to stick up for herself while being cognizant of others' feelings. To appreciate friends and life because they are a gift of today, not to be taken for granted as always being there. To know that she is loved and valuable because of who she is and how she has been created.

The other part is solely about me, apart from I. and V. The part that would still exist, God forbid, if they weren't with me. How I would leave my mark. For human kind, I would like to serve some role in hospice, volunteer or in a nurse capacity. In the animal world, I'd love to volunteer at the humane society/rescue group or serve as a foster parent. This isn't new territory for me - when I was single, I volunteered in the ICU at Scripps and also at a humane society as an exerciser and foster parent and it was very fulfilling.

Now I'm involved in marketing housing for the indigent poor worldwide so I guess this is another way of leaving my mark. This is a new undertaking so I can't comment on it that much. However, that brings the total to making my mark to: my daughter, hospice, humane society/rescue groups, and poverty stricken. At least it's a good start.