How will you be remembered... is it what you hope for?

A friend told me, he just died two weeks ago,
"I don't care how you remember me.......I'll be dead!"

But I hope that I am remembered as a guy who loved life, smiled a lot, laughed every day, loved his family and friends, and above all else, tried to be like Christ. I don't succeed, but I try.

 

I hope to be remembered as a man of virtue and value... a friend that was there in times of joy and despair. A son of great worth and good times...many shared amongst family. A Father to look up to, and one with core values. But most of all... was I someone who impacted peoples lives for change?? I have a firm belief that when you become comfortable in your lifestyle, you're not there yet..... there's always room for growth and becoming a better individual.

I strive for understanding and patience... something I don't do so well sometimes Keeping things into perspective, and laughing off the silly/petty things. All of these goals are easier said than done I guess.... but I have the will and determination to follow through. Character is everthing to me.... especially when no one is looking! What's your character like? I know I am a good man, and that's more than most can say.

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are." ~ Bernice Johnson Reagon

 

Fgrun83, I would like to start by first saying that based on your post, you are defiantly not a failure. First and foremost, you have that leg up with a college degree. Man I wish I had mine. I can tell just by what you’ve wrote on the forums that you are a very intelligent person. In a down economy people everywhere are striving to find work, any work at all. You mentioned you are overweight, but you are taking proactive steps to rectify this. As Jeff mentioned everything has its purpose. Life is far too short. You must make the best of what you have. A wise man once said that children do not become adults; adults realize they still need time to be children. I fully agree with the statement and have strived to let my inner child show himself. I too once had a problem with women quite similar to what you stated. I wouldn’t even talk to a pretty lady unless I was falling down drunk, which doesn’t help in the first place. In time I realized why I was having those issues and rectified them. Am I embarrassed about some of the things, absolutely, but not ashamed. I say go out, hold nothing back, and do whatever it is you want to do. Don’t take no for an answer. I promise you will be surprised with what you can do when you really put your mind to it. You seem to be labeling yourself a failure because of these things, instead, embrace them since they made you who you are.

Heidi. Those things also do not make you a failure. We have all been in the unemployment lines. I hope that since it was you who quit you job, that you have learned a valuable lesson in that you should always find an alternative before you follow through. It will make you a better person in the long run. The same with your schooling. I too never took my schooling seriously. When I entered the workforce, I was the dumb kid who never went to college. I started with low income and a step behind many others. The experience left me with a strong work ethic and a desire to exceed expectations. In the end I did. I achieved every goal I wanted to in a relatively short time span. Now I am saving to go back to school based on my success in the workforce. These things you mentioned are only setbacks, and there presence does not make you a failure.
You are a smart person (seriously I can’t speak a second language) and you should use it as an advantage over others.

I only mention these things to the two of you since we are all around the same age. I can sympathize with the both of you in many areas. Go out, seize the day, and remember to just have some good old fashioned fun every once in a while. Things have a way of working out. It worked for me.

 

Jeez your are getting me depressed. How can you judge yourselves at such a young age. I now people who are 85 who still change things in their lives and have new activities, so making conclusion at such and early stage does not make sense. If people had told me that at the age of 40, I would have a great wife, kids a nice job, and a house , I would have said "right, give me a break". I also started with study loans, went abroad , worked as a temp workern a barman, a docker and got ditched by several ex-gilrfriends too. it seemed like the end of the world at that time, today I smile at it . It's just "la vie". Problems are made to be solved and they make you stronger. When I think I have a problem, I compare my petty "misery" with third world people who have almost nothing and who are happy with the little they have ... Then I realize there is so much to do , for instance, writing this makes me want to buy flowers for my wife because writing about her reminds me how much I love her and that things shoud never be taken for granted....... Just my 2 cents.

 

I am reading a follow up book to Band of Brothers. One of the members of Easy Company was in the hospital with two broken legs, feeling sorry for himself. He looked down the ward and saw a guy who was wrapped from head to foot in bandages with two little holes cut where his face should be so that he could breathe. He stopped feeling sorry for himself then and there.

 

dgmitchell- Those reading sounds interesting! woulde you able too share more of Band of brothers stories???

You too Skipper and mikebzel,you have a point,we should look on the bright side of life!
Fgrun83- I am in you're situation right now,we both cry on each other;s shoulders!

Best wishes.

 

Well I cant say much about myself so far , Im still too young for a job but I am doing pretty good in school...Things are looking pretty good , ill be working for my dad next year so I'll have money for college.

At 14 , I cant say much about how I will be remembered , although I do hope to be remembered by all the ones close to me and maye even more.

Im pretty proud of what I am so far , good friends , good grades , and a good family..Looks like my future looks pretty good...Still working on my WW2 book collection and maybe later i'll be as good as some of you guys with WW2 history

Dgmitchell , may I ask what book is that you are talking about , It sounds familiar?

 

Cj,

You are off to a wonderful start young man, keep up the good grades! Hold onto quality friends and embrace your family like there's no tomorrow. I would encourage you to find a mentor... someone's whos priorities are straight and can lead you in the right direction. And maybe that's your Father Surround yourself with people that will speak life into you! You are in a wonderful place being here with good people. Speaking for myself, I'll be here for ya. I'm sure there are others that would feel the same. Anyone in your age group appreciating the generation that changed the world has an A in my book.

Take care,

Mark

 

CJ -- The book is We Who are Alive and Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothers by Marcus Brotherton. I should be posting my review sometime tomorrow in the books and publications section.

Cheers!

 

I appreciate the kind words Mark! And Im lucky to have my dad as a mentor , and even as someone to talk to WW2 about .Yup , their are alot of cool people on this website , glad I found it


Dgmitchell , I knew it sound familiar! Its oe of the 10 books in my small collection

 

You sound very successful man,and a caring man,glad to still have you with us after you;re near death situation.
May i ask ,what did you have cause you to have a surgery that could have killed you??? Glad you have defeated you;re bad omen.

The german lady,she went through a bad patch,but still manage to be successful in a forien land,this is very up-lifting for me to read and hear,very greatful that you mention this for me.
I do have a low self-confidence in many ways,i need to think positive! I will now anyways.
My bad english won;t get in my way then,cause of those swidish man and german lady ended up getting jobs,looks promising.

The german lady,she would have hard to leave germany!but she must had so much will to get herself out. I, on the other hand, had a smart protective father that got us out of germany(more luck had to do with it)but if i was by myself,i don;t think i could have done what that young lady did,she has got guts (which i need)Which i am gainning real fast.

Thanks for the positive out look on life!
B/wishes.

 

I'm really not concerned with what people remember about me, just as long as it's true....

 

Well, I feel out of place here..everyone in this forum..you are all exceptional people who really care about what we do here..to me that is so touching and tells me all I need to know about everyone here..so here is my story..I am a single mom with 1 son and I raised a nephew from the age of 6 months and now he is a young man...I work for my cousin's law firm here in OKC as a paralegal..it is all I have ever really done and truly enjoyed..the law is so complex..I just like doing the research of the cases,,my ex husband was in the military..dad was Air Force..sibling and her spouse are in the Air Force and my Grandfather was a WWII veteran of the Pacific..and I had an uncle that was in Germany during the battle of the Bulge..That is a special generation of people..I think of them as our forefathers in a way..they laid the groundwork for what we have today..our Freedom..the sacrifices that were made...As said earlier, it is something that i am passionate about..the least we owe them is our respect and they shouldnt have to worry about bills.,meds..food..this is what I get incensed about..My ex Mother in law runs a food bank and food pantry in a small town outside of the city..and I go and help on the first monday of every month...I am blessed with a good career,'an awesome family and a decent home..I love my Country,,my fellow man and treat everyone as I want to be treated..with respect..that is what I want people to know about me..sorry I got long winded..I do that upon occasion..
Warm Regards,
Robbielynne

 

Hey Fgrun83,

Keep this in mind, the losers are in the penitentiary, well, the ones that got caught are anyway.

The Army is hiring, and they have plenty of vacancies and opportunities for advancement too. With your degree, you could go to OCS and be "an officer and a gentleman." They will feed you, give you plenty of work clothes, furnish you with on the job training and equip you with the latest and greatest tools to work with, not to mention travel and adventure to boot. And not to mention, they have a pretty good physical training program too. So do the Marines. It's the "three squares and a sack" thing they offer if you will.

If the Army isn't your kind of thing, you might consider police work. Just as adventurous at times, decent pay and training, and it has plenty of activity to keep you off the streets and busy. All the big metropolitan cities are hiring these days. Hard times on the street means busy times for the police. The big cities, that's where the action is anyway. New Orleans, Miami, Houston, Dallas are places that come to mind that will hire you and your degree right off the bat and put you on the bricks (slang for streets) as soon as you are trained up.

Either type of vocation won't make you rich, but will give some sense of personal satisfaction that you made the decision to get up off your a$$ and made a go at something that you think is worthwhile, if not for yourself, for your buddies on your flank, your partner on you shift, or for Joe Blow on the street.

I was a paratrooper in the Army for three years, now I have been a State Trooper here in Louisiana for 27 years, going on 28. I'm still broke most of the time (by my own doing mind you), but my house is paid off. The second mortgage isn't though. After paying the bills, I have a few dollars left over for recreational activities. Well, maybe more than just a few....I have a history degree from LSU. The gameplan was to continue on and end up teaching history, but that didn't work out. Had too much fun policing. Didn't make a lot of money, but I had a lot of fun. That's what counts. I wish all I was down was $40k....with my whole life ahead of me still to come....You aren't the first cou-yon (that's Cajun French for gumshoe, dipstick, tick turd, etc) to feel like he's been run over by the bus. Plenty of us here on this forum have been there, you're in good company. So don't go into the punt formation just yet. Plenty of options out there. Keep looking. It'll happen. You are limited by your own imagination. Don't make me come over there....

 

My story is still being written. My life goal was to learn everything I possibly could, and I make a point of learning something new every day. I hope to be remembered as a person of integrity and honor who had a great capacity to love. My life story has many ups and downs, and hopefully I've learned from most of them and will continue to learn from them as they occur.

Life is good at the moment, and there is a part of me based on past experiences which makes me a little nervous that its a bit too good to last, but I intend to enjoy it each day. On June 4th, I had what could have been the worst day of my life when my husband was taken ill on the airplane between London Ontario and Calgary where we would be changing planes. He's diabetic and his sugars began climbing - getting higher and higher. The EMT's took us by ambulance from the airport and on arrival at Emergency, my husband told me that the ECG they took looked like he was having heart problems - possibly a heart attack. It was a long wait in the waiting room until I was allowed in after the tests and it turned out the hospital ECG and cardiologist said his heart was fine. After more tests adn an IV started bringing his sugars down, he was discharged with them theorizing a virus and dehydration. It emphasized to us how fragile life is and how much you need to grab life and live each day, and how important it is to never miss loving the important people in your life and letting them know.

There are so many honourable and caring people who are Rogues on the Forum - it's been and is a pleasure to be getting to know you!

 

How's your husband doing now Michelle? All is well I hope, and that he is back to work and all. I am sure that it was a long day for the both of you - and both of you are glad that it's over!