Angelhouser | A Journal By Angelica Bautista Viloria

Saturday, May 26, 2007

What's the Best Legacy You Can Leave Your Kids?

Just last week, the newspapers carried stories about Mark Jimenez's family. His children and stepchildren came out with a one-page advertisement asking their father to release their mother/stepmother while news articles also stated that Mark Jimenez was suing some of his children for estafa.

What do you think of their family story? When that story came out, I was reminded of a homily that I heard at a wake recently where the priest talked about the "best legacy" you can leave your kids.

Most believe that the best legacy is education. Education is the best equalizer. Whether you are rich or poor, young or old -- if you are given access to good education, then you will most likely have the chance to prosper and make something of yourself. What you learned can never be taken away. Should you lose your wealth at some point, you can always start all over.

The priest I was talking about though said that he does not believe that education is the best legacy that you can leave your kids. Individuals can be educated but that does not mean that they will behave properly or will have good relationships. He then went on to say that the best legacy you can leave or give your kids is if you can teach them how to get along -- if in your old age, you see your kids helping each other and looking out for the other.

I guess what the priest said does not only hold for your children but for whole families as well. A harmonious family life where individual members get along is truly the mark of a "wealthy" family.

What about you? What would you want to leave to your kids? Will it be money, education, or harmony?

3 comments:

Cathy B said...

I think the best legacy I can leave my kids is for them to develop and deepen their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. All they need in life, they will find in the BIBLE - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth :)

Angelica Viloria said...

Hi Cathy,

Thanks for dropping by. I agree with you. When your kids develop that personal relationship with Jesus, they have everything they need. God bless.

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