I was asked today, "If you were gone tomorrow, how would the world change and who would notice you're gone?" How does one answer this question? It's times in life like these that require a deep reflection on who you are, what you've done, and how other's perceive you.
For the majority of my life I have been a very selfish, arrogant, and ignorant man. These words are harsh and cut to the bone, but it was after some trying times and the facing of some harsh realities that I was able to face these difficult truths. Identifying what needed to change in my life was only half the battle; proceeding with those changes was the uphill part. However, it was through the battle, an inner battle which others can't see, that I was able to find out what I'm made of and who I would become. The transformation from an immature boy into a more well rounded and caring man is irreversible.
While my accomplishments are small compared to those of men like our founding fathers, the vetrans of WWII, and the participants of the civil rights movement I do feel as though I've impacted this world. There was a time when I would volunteer my summers to mission work on reservations, youth camps, humanitarian work in Mexico, and recovery aid for disaster areas. These habits developed in my youth carried over to my service in the Marines. As a firefighter I would work for four days and then have three days off; during my time off I volunteered in the local events as an ambassador for the Marines. I was able to help in local concerts, the annual stock show and rodeo, at a boys and girls club, and many other various events. The point is, I have had an impact on peoples lives and I believe that impact has been for the better. There are people throughout this world that will miss me when I'm gone.
I wish I could say everyones perception of me was a good one. Like I mentioned earlier, there was a time in my life when I was a douche bag. Unfortunately, my interactions with certain people in my past has led to burnt bridges. There are also people who have great opinions of me. All in all I can't speak for others but I'd say there is a wide spectrum of how people see me. To reference a Proverb from the Bible: Let others lift your name and let not your own lips sing your praise.
To conclude this lengthy blog, I'm positive I would be missed should I not exist tomorrow. For how long, that will be determined by the magnitude of my deeds... which I will not judge. In the end, I am but shadow and dust.
"You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor." -Aristotle
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