As We Want to Be Remembered

As we remember our impressions of other people, we would well ask ourselves how we want to be remembered. If we were posing for a portrait, we would try to be at our best; and we would expect the photographer or the artist to retouch at least some of the flaws he found, because with anything as permanent as a portrait it seems important to appear as we would want to be remembered. But the impressions other people have of us from day to day are more important than a portrait, and in all our speech and attitudes and actions we should keep in mind how we want to be remembered in the minds and memories of other men. Do we want to be remembered for giving way to gossip? Do we want to be remembered for being careless about our appearance or carless about our conduct? And how do we want to be remembered by our children? As they grow up, they will carry forever their impressions of us. The public may see us only as we step out on the street, as we sit behind our desks, or as we attend social functions, groomed and gracious; but with our family and clone friends, there is a kind of candid camera constantly recording its impressions of us, only as we were when we go to church. They may remember us as we are when we lose our temper, or when we are unjust in our judgments, or when we have made some flimsy pretext for departing from principle. They may remember not only our affectionate best behavior, but also our inconsiderate acts and unkind comments. Posterity, and the way we shall be remembered by friends and family will be the way we live from day to day. Whatever we do whatever we are, whatever we think, whatever our actions remembered is the way we should live, not only in public, but also in private, and inside ourselves.