The Difference Between Reputation and Legacy

Remember a few blogs ago when I mentioned that my oldest daughter is graduating this year? Yeah. She really is. (Crazy, right?) Anyway, the other day there was this sort of mock ceremony called a baccalaureate, during which graduating seniors came together, wearing caps and gowns, and listened to an inspirational speaker.

I’m not going to go into major detail about the speech or the activity or whatever. But one thing the speaker said really struck me, so I thought I’d share it here.

He said, “A reputation is built in a day. A legacy is built in a lifetime.” ~Kacy Benson

It struck home for me. Reputation is fleeting. Legacy is forever.

If I teach my children nothing more in this life, I hope it is how little reputation matters when you get to heaven, and how much more important it is to touch the lives of others, in everything we do, and in every way we can.

So tell me. What have you done to touch someone’s life today? 

Clichés for Kids (or Inspiration for Graduates)

Make a goal

Change your mind

Break the rules

Create new ones

Forge a path

Blaze a trail

Spread your wings

Fly for the clouds

And then…

Shoot for the stars.

And if—for some reason—you don’t reach the star for which you were aiming, that’s totally okay. There are bazillions of stars in the galaxy, and you only need to claim one. They’re all bright and colorful, and somewhere, one is waiting for you to catch it—it belongs to you, and you alone.

The only question left is which one will it be?