If I were to depart from this world today, what intangibles would I leave behind? What kind of legacy? Or perhaps more importantly, would I be satisfied with the exoteric goodness I have left in my wake? (Alright - I am never satisfied, but would I be okay with it?) Or, (the same question rephrased) am I okay with the exoteric goodness that I have left thus far?

The other question that comes to mind is 'Would others be satisfied with the intangibles I would leave behind?' I'm not sure one could find 'uninhibited truthfulness' in this regard, from those who are close. I believe many of us leave this earthly plane with much goodwill emanating from those who know us, as they will likely choose to focus on the positive aspects of our lifetime and forgive our failings. Don't misunderstand. This is good and I would not want it to change. But I believe it would be 3 or 4 generations removed before one could find uninhibited truthfulness, and by then (unless you are somehow on the world stage) chances are your legacy has become largely anecdotal. Again, don't misunderstand. This is also as it should be because the exoteric goodness you leave behind is of your own making and the anonymity (once recognized) should encourage Goodness for the sake of Goodness, with no ulterior motive. And, only you can judge your satisfaction with that potential.

It is late ... I will think more about this tomorrow ...

I just realized that I am putting 'today' off until tomorrow within the context of a premise in which there is no tomorrow. I did so innocently and that bothers me. It is a serious question that may determine or (at the least) influence Happiness. According to some thinkers (including Aristotle), Happiness can only be judged over an entire lifetime (i.e. one's legacy) and if I am not okay with it, I have work to do today - not tomorrow.

Having respectfully acknowledged the serious nature of this topic, there is a point when words and thoughts become muddled and sleep is necessary. I hope to appreciate my next 'today' tomorrow and take advantage of that opportunity to pursue further clarification, depth, complexity, and understanding ...

... I am here today.

As Willie Nelson said, "yesterday's dead and tomorrow is blind."

I have work to do.

So how do I go about, in a single day, the monumental, daunting task of creating a legacy? ...

I have some ideas ...

First, I feel like whatever I do to this end should be active and not passive. This is why I write. For me, the written word is active thought. This is also why I make mistakes within the context of daily activity. Passivity may eliminate or reduce errors, but at what cost? Activity is necessary for results and forward movement, but can at times be interpreted as controversial and/or adversarial. Inactivity is stale and boring and inhibits growth, but does at times provide the warmth and safety of a (matrix-like) comfort zone.

Next, (perhaps a corollary to being active) - purposeful passion. I believe that one should exhibit a mindful, determined enthusiasm for thoughts and behaviors throughout the day. This quality can exacerbate the potentially adversarial nature of being active, but can/should be tempered with mindfulness. It can be difficult to be passionate about some mundane, required daily activities. I avoid apathy by seeking new discoveries; making new connections; thinking outside the box about the activity; or (if it is a truly mindless activity) writing in my head (i.e. Active Thought). Additionally, listening to music or contemplating art, literature, philosophy, or nature helps me to stay thoughtfully active.

Next, I believe the flexibility to adjust or change for the sake of learning and growth is very important. Be it opinions, perspective, behaviors, or simply outdated habits, one should continue to evolve. Listening with empathy and compassion is a key component of adaptability. And this openness to change also helps to mitigate the potential adversarial impact of being passionately active.

Finally, I believe that a sense of humor, or the ability to not take oneself and/or one's place in this world too seriously, is (though seemingly contradictory) a seriously consequential aspect of exoteric goodness. As noted in this previous post Epictetus reminds us that we have nothing to lose in this world because this world owes us nothing. Earthly possessions (including this physical body) are temporary and are not 'taken' from us, but simply returned from whence they came. This is pretty heady stuff, but it helps us to not take our physical selves or our place in this world too seriously by freeing us from these earthly constraints and reminding us that there are 'other-worldly' considerations such as inner peace and exoteric goodness that should be taken more seriously. A sense of humor - the ability to laugh at earthly fumblings and foibles and quickly move on - will allow for a more focused pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, and Happiness.

I have no intention of departing this world any time soon. Regardless of my intentions though, I should remind myself daily that anything of, from, or for this world (including my tangible, physical being) can be snatched from my mental grasp in less time than it takes to place the period at the end of this sentence.

I should remind myself daily that I have work to do.

1. Active thought and action
2. Purposeful passion
3. Openness to change
4. A sense of humor

I believe these 4 components as described, will assist me in creating a legacy that emphasizes Goodness for the sake of Goodness; a legacy that I can live with - or (when the time comes) not.