It’s easy to feel forgettable.
And being forgotten is terrifying, isn’t it?
I don’t want to be left off the email list when someone is organizing a play date. I don’t want my friends to wonder what I’ve been up to lately. I don’t want my blog to fall under someone’s “Read When I Have Nothing Else To Do & I’ve Already Watched All the Reruns of Law & Order: SVU on TBS” folder. I don’t want to be written out of my parents’ wills. (Just kidding, Dad.)
I want to spread my words so they resonate with people, ringing in their ears long after. I want others to remember me, even if they’re just remembering to invite me to the splash pad.
I don’t want to be forgettable; I want to leave a legacy.
My daughter has taken to rocking her dolls and stuffed animals to sleep. Earlier today I caught her doing that to a tower of Legos.
She walks around with a toy cradled in her little arms, gently swaying it back and forth whispering, “Hey, hey, hey, shhhh.”
The comfort she is copying, the softness in her voice, the way she presses her cheek against a pink bunny or multi-colored blocks all remind me of the way I cradle my own children, smoothing down their baby fine hair, nestling them in that sweet, safe spot between my chin and my chest, that spot that tells them they are loved beyond measure, and not just by the arms encircling them.
And as I watched my daughter carefully tuck her stuffed elephant in beneath a tee-shirt-turned-blanket, I caught a glimpse of my legacy.
Meet the Buttrams 
Always wise to consider our legacy, and as usual a beautiful post from you. You will not be forgotten.
Thanks for saying that, Chad! I certainly hope not.
This post is so lovely.
It’s another reason why I always read you BEFORE I turn on reruns of Law & Order: SVU…
(Just kidding. I don’t even watch that show. But you? I adore.)
True: I had to stop watching SVU once I had kids.
Oh, and I adore you too. But that’s pretty obvious.
This. This gave me the shivers.
And it’s warm in Canada today.
It’s like eating a warm chocolate brownie with cool ice cream. Yum! (And metaphor fail alert!)
First: I’m glad it’s finally warm in Canada. Hopefully it’s here to stay?
Second: Brownies can’t fail at anything.
Third: xoxo
Beautiful! I think we all have those same fears of being left out or behind. You are leaving (birthing?) a wonderful legacy, friend.
It’s an echo of that knowledge that God remembers us always, I think. Too deep? Yeah, I thought so.
Xoxo, Twinsie.
Gave me the goosies. Love your posts. All my fav bloggers leave me NO time for TV!
Hah! I know the feeling, Jan. When am I ever going to have time to do dishes?
This was beautiful. It’s a perfect way to end the day.
Thanks, Marianne!
Lovely thoughts and so beautifully expressed. I always consider it an honor when I catch a glimpse of my daughter mothering a doll (or my middle son taking care of his little brother after a scraped knee). You are leaving a very fine legacy.
I love watching them mimic the way I love on them. So lovely.
Look how much you said in so few words. Just perfect. I miss you, JButt. Your legacy is alive and thriving. 😉
I miss you! Thanks for your words, love. Xo
I’m not even going to try to write memorable things for Evan. I’m just going to copy all your posts, change the names, and tell him I wrote them for him. Well done. Thanks.
I mean, that’s been my intent the entire time.
Loooooooove this. And you.
This was a wonderful post – maximum awesome and such!