Many walk in the sand of life, not knowing their purpose and why they are living. Many leave their lives not considering the effect their lives have on others. One truth of life is this; as we walk in the sand of life, we are living our footprints in the sand and that, we must reflect on our effects on our generation and the legacies we will leave in the sand of life. This is for deep reflection
I was relaxing with my wife at the seashore of Keta at Agblor Lodge Beach Resort in the Volta Region of Ghana one weekend, after witnessing a marriage ceremony of one of my past students I taught in the Junior Secondary School. I stood up, walked in the sand after the sea washed the shore. Looking back, I saw my footprints and I was taken into reflective moments with many questions, but three of them were more prominent in my mind. The three questions were: “what legacies are your feet leaving in the sand of life? Is your purpose for life on track? And the third one was “What will you be remembered for?” Thinking through the questions, I went back and asked my wife to take the picture attached to the article for me. Thanks, you Grace for the picture; you are a blessing, I love you more and more, you are a ray of sunshine. That’s sweet, isn’t it? Well, let’s reflect together on the questions.
The first question: What legacies are your feet leaving in the sand of life? Many of us walk in the sand of life not knowing, we are leaving indelible footsteps and marks on the sand of life; marks in our families, communities, and nations. We talk and do things anyhow, not recognizing our footholds are seen by others. Just reflect with me: what legacies are you leaving in the sand of life? What are you doing as your contribution to life? You can agree with me that, we are benefiting from other people’s contributions and legacies of their life, but what are your own contributions? You use cars, mobile phones, you use electricity; these are inventions of other people. Can you say you are relevant to life or you are making your life relevant to life and your footsteps are becoming indelible? Are some people benefiting from your existence as a human being or you are becoming a liability? Well, will people see your footsteps in the sand of life and appreciate you for it? Will somebody one day say, if not for your effect on his/her life, life would have been unbearable? Think about these questions, and always remember: we are on earth for a purpose and, that you are leaving footprints in the sand of life. Therefore, you need to define your footsteps.
The second question: Is your purpose for life on track? Many of us have dreams; you have aspirations, but the question: are you on track? Are you achieving some results with your purpose for life; if you are not making headway with your dream, then why? Are you losing focus; what are your challenges? With my personal evaluations, sometimes I realize there are some shortfalls in my zeal to pursue my dream. In fact, sometime in the past, I realized I was losing focus, especially in my spiritual life and I needed personal reorientation. My reader, of truth “unexamined life, is not worth living.” Therefore, you must always evaluate your life; your dreams, make amends, and stay focus. In pursuing our life purpose, and in our walks of life there are always challenges, there are mountains and hills to claim, valleys to cross, detractors, and vision killers to deal with. Nevertheless, remember “Your limitations will not limit you if you don’t limit yourself.” And that, winning a race comes with focus, determination, persistence, and looking beyond your limitations. Let me remind you; every problem has a solution and that if you focus your eyes on solutions and not the challenges you face, you will succeed.
The third question: what will you be remembered for? Will you be remembered for, your good deeds or the problems you have created for your generations? Some of us walk the surface of the earth not knowing one day, when we are no more, people will ask who we were. In your family, your community, and your nation, what will you be remembered for? When we go into history, I remember Martin Luther of Germany for Christian liberation, Abraham Lincoln; the 16th President of United States of America for fighting for human rights; abolishing of the slave trade; defining democracy and how it must be practiced, even which some of us enjoy and even abuse today. I can remember Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana who fought, not only for the total liberation of Ghana from colonialism, but the whole of Africa. I can remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who fought against racial segregation in the US and is remembered every on 18th January every year. Again, I can remember Billy Graham who preached and evangelized the whole world. All these people left positive footholds in the sand of history. However, I can also remember the likes of Adolf Hitler of Germany, Joseph Kony of Uganda, and Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire; now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Well, do you know much about them? I can say they left bad indelible footprints in the sand of life. So what do you think people will remember you for after you walk through this earth? Think about it, it is important. The kind of footprints you leave in the sand of life matters to the living and they will remember you for it.
In sum, whatever good you think is in your powers to do to affect society positively, do it. Are you in government, play your roles and remember, your footprints will be counted and evaluated by history and posterity. Are you a religious leader, play your part according to the biblical principles, because you will give account to the one who calls you into the ministry. Are you a musician, note: music is for the soul, and that your music needs to console, edify, inspire, counsel, and lift up the souls of people. Are you a security officer, do your best as you could and remember the security of your nation or society is in your hands. Are you a media personality or a journalist, never forget to treat all people fairly and that you are accountable to good conscience and that you are liable for your bad reportage. Are you a family head, don’t forget charity begins at home and that you are the custodian of your family values and you will be remembered for how you hold up those values and inculcate them in your kinsmen.
Above all, whatever each of us does: “We are accountable to our maker one day, whether good or bad”. Thus, whatever your walk on the sand of life: “love your God, yourself, family and friends, your country and be a positive footprint.” Never forget: whatever you do, you are leaving footholds in the sand of life. The sea of death will wash you away one day, but your legacies will remain; whether good or bad. Keep reflecting; keep doing your best. My best wishes to you as you reflect on these questions.
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