My Lasting Legacy

Sep 26

I remember listening to the R&B singer Aaliyah when I was younger, A LOT. Rea, one of my dearest friends, had all of her CDs. I remember like it was yesterday, shortly after she was killed in a tragic plane accident in 2001, that we’d sit together at her mothers large desktop computer and work tirelessly to commit all of her songs to memory, even the ones that weren’t popular. There was a sense of accomplishment, knowing the songs that most of the general public didn’t know; We were prideful and in a way, I think we felt like it was something we needed to do to pay homage to her.

Aaliyah made me feel so free! The way she carried herself was beyond inspiring and I will never forget the way she portrayed her own definition of femininity. You could tell she was confident in her own skin! Aaliyah often combined baggy jeans and jackets with bralettes and crop tops. Her makeup always looked natural, and it looked as though she didn’t have cosmetic enhancements that were “trending” due to the likes of those who she was attracted to; all naturale. And, because she looked like me and I could see through her how far I could go in life, I was inspired forever. Her legacy last’s forever through me.

But what will people say about me? What will my lasting legacy be? After I’m gone and/or when we part ways? Depending on which chapter of my life they knew me in, they may say gullible, bold, stern, thorough, or even passionate. But, if people remember nothing about me, I want them to remember my struggle, not so much my accomplishments or the wins I’ve had throughout my life. I would rather they not be inspired or encouraged by my success, but by my long and tough journey that I have endured. There’s something about knowing the struggle someone has gone through, that makes the wins of life that much more sweeter. Doesn’t it make you want to keep going? Doesn’t some of their stories give you that rejuvenation to go forward when you thought you had nothing left to give?

Friend, you wouldn’t believe some of the things my eyes have seen and my heart has felt. My lasting legacy will remind men and Women, she he and theys, Black White and Brown, and Christian Catholic and Jewish, that they can survive any and all tragedies that they face with both internal and self-determination. My lasting legacy will portray me as the epitome of resilience. What will yours say about you?