You probably will notice that I have certain THEMES that I like to write about. One is families and the responsibility of parents to teach their children directly as well as indirectly.
Indirectly you teach them by example and possibly by things you write and send to them in an email or that you post on the refrigerator in your kitchen or you can print out your words and put it on paper on their pillow so they can read it over and over.  Directly is when you say it to them. Someday when you are gone from the earth (temporarily) the BEST thing your children can ever say about you at your funeral or memorial service is:  MY MOTHER/ FATHER TAUGHT ME WELL THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I NEEDED TO KNOW IN MY LIFE. I AM MORE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT THEY TAUGHT ME THAN FOR WHAT THEY GAVE ME.

When our lives are over we ALL leave something behind.  The things we leave behind might be fairly inconsequential (don't matter much) and will be quickly forgotten.  Other things we leave behind might be very powerful and may have a great influence on many people for a long time---most notably our family members.

What do you want to leave behind?  Start now to think and plan even if you are young.  If you leave behind THINGS (house, money, trophies, cars, properties, titles etc)  they will quickly be gone and within not too long they will be forgotten.  But if you find a way to leave behind YOUR INFLUENCE it quite possibly could go on for a long, long time....many lifetimes.  You are really still here because your PERSONAL INFLUENCE is still here.

How can you do that?  INFLUENCE YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN NOW.  Write to them, teach them, set worthy examples for them, share your love with them now.....don't wait.  Help them grow, gain education, skills, knowledge, faith....whatever is TRULY valuable to you. Leave those things for them.  You can leave what you think and feel about important things in life in A JOURNAL.  Call it JOURNAL FOR MY FAMILY AND CLOSE FRIENDS.  Then write down in your own handwriting memories, your thoughts, teachings, opinions that you hope will be a blessing to your family.  Years from now your great grandchildren might read them and your influence goes on.
Your voice is not stilled.

I want each of my children and grandchildren to be tied to me by a THREAD.  Symbolically that means we are connected....always. As they go on into THEIR futures the thread that is tied to me goes along with them.  That means there is a small part of me that is a part of them....it goes with them into their future and into the future of their children.  I want that THREAD that ties/binds/connects us together to be a STRONG, FIRM THREAD.  I need to make it out of good material.  I need to be good material and whatever example I show to them must be made of good material. If so, the thread that connects us will always be strong.

The fibers of the thread connecting us is made of what I taught them and the example I showed them.  This puts upon me a GREAT AND SOLEMN RESPONSIBILITY TO BE A GOOD EXAMPLE AND A THOUGHTFUL/CAREFUL TEACHER.  Now none of this is egotistical. I am NOT interested in myself in this matter.  I do not want them to talk about me. I want them to talk about what THEY LEARNED FROM ME THAT HELPED THEM...AND MAYBE THOSE SAME THINGS WILL HELP THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN...AND THE THREAD THAT TIES ME TO MY CHILDREN ALSO TIES MANY GENERATIONS TOGETHER IN LOVE, WELL BEING AND GOODNESS. 

I hope the thread is a strong golden thread.  So that is a way of thinking about YOUR INFLUENCE.  Make your influence thoughtful, careful, prayerful, strong, connecting and inspiring.....ask yourself now HOW WILL I DO THAT?  WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO BE SURE MY HEALTHY INFLUENCE BLESSES MY CHILDREN AND POSTERITY AND THOSE I LOVE?

IT IS YOUR LEGACY. BUILD IT CAREFULLY AND IT WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE AND THEIRS BETTER.