What If No One Remembered You or Cared About What You Do?

Balloons

One of my favorite bloggers asserts that we are here on this planet at this particular point in time to try to change the world. If we don’t start working and leading toward this goal, no one will remember us when we’re gone.

I have a different take on this topic.

How would you feel if you didn’t change the world and no one remembered you or cared that you were gone? How would you live today, tomorrow and the day after? Do you miss out on life if you don’t do important life changing work?

Change is a double-edged sword.

From my perspective, I believe we are here to experience life as it unfolds in the eternal now. We are part of an evolutionary process and we may never be able to fully grasp its purpose or magnitude.

In our effort to change what we don’t like throughout the millennia, we commit all sorts of violence toward life in all its forms and try to subjugate each other to our view—the supposedly better view—of how things should be.

Wouldn’t it be better to accept the world as is? Why not live an authentic life and express love for what is?

If we are not happy with how the world is, it’s easier and more effective to try to change ourselves first instead of looking outward to change our surroundings.

We change by growing into who we are. What we do is not the main thing—it’s the byproduct of being.

It’s not what you do that matters but how you do it.

In my experience, the most profound change and inspiration comes from people who do simple, repetitive tasks day in and day out. What makes these people stand out is how they do their job—with joy, love and appreciation and it shows. This is how the world becomes a better place.

You can be a janitor, a tollbooth operator, a cashier and still inspire people and do something that is meaningful.  Even the most influential people throughout history did what they did because their work was an expression of their own truth.

The best thing you can do for the world is to be who you truly are and find joy in your daily living.

Leadership is overrated.

You can try and lead people with new ideas and thoughts. However, no one with all their might and influence will be able to affect massive change. It’s the desire of others to follow and implement that makes the difference. And that desire comes from within each and every individual who takes on a new challenge.

True change comes from within. The person who is following your advice must be ready and willing to go for it—and that is entirely up to them.

Influence is effective only when it comes from authentic living. You set the example, and let things be. If others follow, it’s their choice and if they don’t it’s also their choice.

Nothing lasts forever.

We all are going to leave this existence at one point. I’m not sure why it would matter if we were remembered or not. Even if we were, it would be short lived. How many years would it take before people forget about who did what and when?

The reality of our physical existence is insignificant in the vastness of this universe. Sooner or later we all will be forgotten—the best and the worst and all the masses in between. Not only we will be gone, but also our planet, our sun will one day be transformed into something else.

In the larger scheme of our impermanent existence, it is better to just experience your life on your own terms and be the unique imprint in time and space that you are and let life take its course.

Being is all there is.

Working and achieving is great but it should not be at the expense of being. By that I mean just experiencing life moment by moment instead of trying to change it. When change becomes part of the natural process of growth, it will happen.

Growth in this journey is inevitable. The type of growth may be different for each individual, but outside of our own journey, everything else has its own purpose and possibilities.

You being here is all that is needed for life to express itself now.

It’s the personal experience that matters.

Whenever I talk to my cousin, I’m reminded of her favorite quote that says,

“The easy part is to go out and be as brilliant as Shakespeare. Harder—much harder—is to be the light dancing in someone else’s eyes.”

To love and be loved by the people around you is all that we can hope for in this short existence—parents’ care…partner’s passion…family’s and friends’ affection…the smile of your colleagues…the anticipation in your children’s eyes.

Love of life and its manifestations and accepting the flaws and imperfections as part of the process is more valuable than any brilliant work you can do.

The bottom line is you can lead or follow, be remembered or forgotten. You are a one of a kind expression of life that will change its texture—be it visible or not, memorable or not.

It’s better to live and accept your part and do it well and let the rest take care of itself. Finding peace and joy in daily living and connecting with who you truly are is the best thing you can do for yourself and the world.

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