How Will You Be Remembered?

“It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you. It’s what you leave behind you when you go.” – from "Three Wooden Crosses", a song performed by Randy Travis.

Yesterday, legendary ABC News “World News Tonight” anchorman Peter Jennings died of lung cancer at age 67. Here’s the full story from ABCNews.com

Also, the North Georgia alumni community lost a 2003 alum, Staff Sergeant (SSG) Charles Warren of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 48th brigade, to a bomb detonated at a checkpoint in Iraq. Here’s the full story on AJC.com.

While I never knew either person, the common thread that exists between each of them is their own desires to make a difference in the lives of their families, their friends, and the world in general.

Mr. Jennings, though he was a high school dropout who quit to pursue a journalism career in his native Canada, became a broadcast legend who educated himself through his world travels, learning about other cultures and other peoples, whether it was covering the civil rights struggles in the 1960’s or the ever-volatile situation in the Middle East. Those experiences helped him become the legend that his family and friends remember now as they mourn his passing.

SSG Warren, who earned an associate’s degree in nursing from our beloved North Georgia in 1993, was a Briton who came to America in search of a better life for himself. Like his grandfather, he joined the British version of our National Guard, and upon coming to America, enlisted in ours, proudly serving both nations. In his civilian capacity as a nurse at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, he helped to make a difference in the lives of sick children and their families. As a husband and father, he worked to make a difference in the lives of his young family.

After reading their respective stories, I started thinking about my own mortality and I asked myself, “How will I be remembered?”, and here's how:

- A man who loved his God, his country, his wife, and his family.

- A Toastmaster who learned, grew, and achieved success in both my personal and professional lives, and through service as the Georgia District Governor for 2004-2005, positively influenced others to be the best that they can be.

- A proud North Georgia alum who rose through the ranks of the Corps of Cadets and learned valuable lessons in discipline, patriotism, and honor, in addition to his degree studies.

- A man who worked hard and earned his living honestly and ethically.

- A Lion who served those less fortunate within his community, his state, and his world.

- A man who treated others with the utmost respect, honor, and dignity as per the "golden rule" (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you).

I challenge you, dear reader, to take stock of your life by first asking yourself, “How will I be remembered?” Also, please let your family and friends know how much you love them and care about them. By doing so, you can be assured that you will be remembered in a positive light. And don’t forget who is the final judge of us all, for His opinion will be the one that counts the most.

May God comfort and keep the family and friends of both Mr. Jennings and SSG Warren and may they both rest in His eternal peace.

That’s all for now. Thanks for visiting and please come again.