Legacy

I guess everyone’s life has a theme.  Something they are known for.  Something they are remembered by.
But everyone’s life has a back story.  In the movie “A Beautiful Mind” the guy won a noble prize but the movie was all about the back story. I remember saying someone would stand in a paddock trying to win a noble prize for being “Out standing in their field.” 
Someone at table tennis told me what I was looking at was the legacy he wanted to leave with the club.
I notice right now it seems many movies are being made about singers.  All of them give the backstory.  I know them for what they produced.  Less known to me is how they got there.
Even when the movies are not about singers but based on fact I find them fascinating.  They say truth is stranger than fiction.  When I see these I am often gobsmacked and find the truth really interesting.  Often what is said is made for the movies or tv and the facts are treated liberally.  Introduction, problem, problem resolved, happy ever after.  Often that makes for a great story and when I am interested enough I find out for myself about that person. 
But I ask myself what do I want to be remembered by?  What will be my legacy?  When people say “Peter Kuskie” what will come to mind?  I know it will not be the job I did.  There will come a time when I know my name will be just noted as the author of something that may be an example of the way we used to do things.
It won’t be my table tennis.  I will never be mentioned as a highly ranked player.  Probably any famous victories will be famous in my eyes only.  In history classes there will probably be no studying of the life and times of Peter Kuskie.  When examining the lives of the rich and famous my name will no doubt not be among them.
But really all that does not matter to me.  I want people when I come to mind to think “he cared.”  To me people are the most important to invest in.  I want others to know that here is a person that no matter where they have been here is a shoulder to lean on.  To me the most important thing in a person’s life is to know someone will be there.
I definitely would not knock back the opportunity to invent something that changes the world for the better.  I accept though that is not likely to happen.  All I can be is the best I can be wherever that may lead.
While writing this I paused and continued reading a book I have been reading.  I was astounded to see that in the section I came to he was saying exactly what I was trying to say (except he put it much better).
No matter where life takes me, or what is my profession, people come first.