By Jessica Gorman
What is a legacy? Some may think that it’s about making a name for ourselves, a name that will be remembered. In reality, it’s crazy just how quickly we’re forgotten when we’re gone. These days, it seems to happen even faster.
Some people live their lives in pursuit of legacy, to be remembered for the things they did. The irony is that oftentimes, those same people can’t tell you about those who came before them or the contributions they made in their lifetime. That, in and of itself, illustrates just how quickly we forget.
True legacy, a legacy that lasts and lives on is often unintentional. It is not found in accomplishment or creating for self but in influence, the influence on others that can be seen in the way they live their lives. In this way, legacy has nothing to do with whether your name is remembered. Instead, it is reflected in the way someone else values what you value and steps up to take care of the things that are important to you and even more so when they pass it along to someone else.
There are so many who quietly go about making significant contributions within our community without any desire for acknowledgement. I admire those people deeply. Those who have been involved with the museum and cemetery, I think about often. They shape my work and the decisions that affect the future of both. I see the same in others who have that desire to carry on the unfinished work of someone we’ve lost and truly admire their unwillingness to just let it fall to the wayside.
My work is rooted in honoring the legacies of others – the legacy of those who created this place we call home, those who have worked to preserve our history, those who rest in our burial grounds. I am acutely aware of the quiet legacies of those who have so generously and steadily supported the work of the museum and the care of the Minden Cemetery. This work is important to me because it was important to them. I commit everyday to honoring them through caring for something that they cared for.
A few weeks ago, I was working to get the annual appeal letter sent out for the cemetery. Part of that process is reviewing the mailing list, making note of those who have passed, making the necessary corrections. It brings to the forefront those who are no longer with us, some now rest in that very cemetery that they so faithfully supported. Their absence is felt. This isn’t just clerical work, it’s not just about getting a letter in the mail, or raising funds. It’s emotional work. It’s about making sure that something that was important to them is cared for.
Those quiet legacies seem to be the ones that truly endure. They continue to shape our community in the long term through what they inspire in others. For me, they are my greatest motivation to keep pushing forward even through the greatest challenges. We owe a debt of gratitude to so many and I hope that you will join me in honoring those who came before us.
(Jessica Gorman is Executive Director of the Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum, Inc., Webster Parish Historian, President of the Minden Cemetery Association, and an avid genealogist.)