Sunday, August 17, 2014

What's your legacy???

Long long ago, in a place far far away, I was working with an ex colleague (Lets call him Dondu). Dondu had put in his resignation. While we were working on one of the reports, I noticed that Dondu was completing his work very fast, I got a bit suspicious and asked him whether he was actually checking the reports to see if they were coming correctly.
Dondu coolly replied - "Who cares, its my last week, even if they are wrong, I'll be long gone from this god forsaken place"

In a week's time, Dondu was relieved from his duties. A few months later, guess what --- the mess surfaced...
We spent over two weeks correcting what Dondu had left behind... Even to this day I remember what he had "Left Behind"


At another time, I went to a friend's house. He was shifting out of his apartment and going abroad. He had sold his apartment and was just there to pick up the remaining stuff. As we were in the lift, he threw the gum he was chewing in the lift itself... I told him it was unhygienic. He just replied that he wasn't going to come back anyways... so how did it matter.


Once my dad took me to a wildlife sanctuary. I was probably 8 or 10 years that time. We had ice creams and once I had finished I just tossed the empty ice cream cup nearby. Although there was a dust bin nearby, I just threw it nearby.
My dad noticed and said something which changed my life forever... "Tu saala Indian ka Indian hi rahega... jahan jayega... kachra failaiga..."
("You'll stay a **$#@* Indian all your life... leaving garbage behind wherever you go")

I felt very bad... My ego was seriously hurt. Yes... I was 10, but I still felt humiliated. I walked back, took that cup and went all the way to the dustbin to throw it in the bin.

Just so you know, my Dad is more Indian than most of us, but that comment that day had a purpose behind it.
I decided that I will change the meaning of being an Indian. I decided that I will make sure that every place I have been to should be clean after I have left. I have not littered for more than 22 years now. Not even a chocolate wrapper on the road side.


I was out shopping the other day and a girl walked up to me. She came up to me and said "Hi Gulshan Sir, recognize me?"
Obviously I didn't recognize her and I told her honestly that I wasn't able to place her face. She said that she was my student 5 years ago. I used to take a little extra something after every class and this girl remembered those extra snippets I taught. She told me how much difference my way of teaching had made in her life, both the academic aspect and otherwise.
It felt really great, especially because I myself never realized the value of what I was doing back then.


In every single thing I do, whether I'm working, sitting with family, with friends, having fun, on the road, in the mall, in the park... Wherever I am, I'm leaving something behind.
What I leave behind will stay there. It will have an impact. It will be my reminder. It will either help someone or disturb someone.

When I work and leave, I'm leaving my results behind.
When I teach and leave, I'm leaving my knowledge behind.
When I'm littering, I'm leaving garbage behind.
When I'm angry, I'm leaving disturbance behind me.
When I share a joke, I'm leaving smiles behind.
When I leave home, I'm leaving a hug and love behind.
When I pray and leave, I'm leaving gratitude behind.
When I'm writing, I'm leaving my learnings behind.

Whatever I leave behind will have an impact on those who come after me.
Whatever I leave behind is what I will be remembered for.
Whatever I leave behind is going to be my legacy...

It is entirely upto me on what I leave behind... It is entirely my choice to decide what the world will remember me for after I'm gone.

I will make sure that when I'm gone, everyone behind me will remember me only for the right reasons. For the value I added to their life.

I will make sure I leave behind a legacy. A legacy that will be valued. A legacy I will be remembered for...

The "I" here is not just for the writer of this blog... the "I" here represents each and every one who is reading this blog.

What are you leaving behind???
What's your legacy???

Think About It...

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