A Lesson Passed On
Old Hark lay in his bed, thinking about who he was. He had been a hard worker, had married the woman of his dreams, and raised a family, a boy and a girl. The children would grow up and have families of their own someday. He wasn’t rich, in a monetary sense, however, he was rich in spirit. He had earned enough money over time to live comfortably, not decadently. But the end of his timeline was approaching. He knew it, his family knew it, as did his friends and neighbors.
Not having much in the way of material objects or money to pass on to those he left behind, he needed to think of something to leave them with. A number of his friends had made secret videos of themselves that were to be shared with their families upon their death. Hark was not a secretive person though. If something was important to share with someone, he just shared it. The best thing about sharing something told with someone else was watching their reaction and seeing if they understood what they were being told. But the idea of leaving a video did intrigue him, so this is what he did:
Old Hark called his son, daughter, and wife to his bedside. He had a video camera set up which was to record everything he would say. But instead of it being shown upon his death, it was being recorded with all of them present.
They all gathered around him as he spoke these words:
“As I’m about to take my leave of you, I need you to think about who you all are. Are you strong, independently thinking people? I believe you are. Do you care for yourselves and others, through kindness and empathy for all living things? In my opinion, this is also true. Even though you are independent, you still look out for each other and support one another. Your care for me, for the poor and downtrodden, and the world we live in, is evidence of your compassion.
These are all great qualities and serve you well.
Note, you have all faced adversity and become stronger for it. Your quest for knowledge is boundless as is the curiosity deep within you that drives your learning. You seek not power, but peace.
It is my hope that my love and teachings have had some part in this. For that is what I leave with you when I’m gone. Yes, remember the times we spent together. The joys we had and the places we saw. Yes, recall the stories we told and the songs we sang. The pictures we took will always be there to remind you of times gone by. But remember also who you are. What you are capable of accomplishing, And that part of me will always be in there with you.
Remember me for who I was, who I am, and that part of me that is you. If you can do that then there will be no need to grieve, for I will not be gone.
If you feel you are losing faith in yourself, or not capable of moving on in an endeavor, then play this video again. I’ll be there to remind you that, ‘Yes you can.’
Love is boundless. It traverses both life and death. I will always love you and will never let you down.”
At this point, the video camera was turned off. They came together and hugged one another. Old Hark had shared what needed to be shared. Copies of the video were digitized and share with each family member. Two weeks later, Old Hark passed on.
Some people might take a video like that and store it away in a secure vault, with wills and other important documents, never to be looked at again. Some might just toss the video onto a pile of other videos and over time forget all about it. But Old Hark’s family was different. His video was always placed in full view of anyone that visited their home so that visitors would ask about it. He would not be forgotten. And as his son and daughter grew up and had families of their own, Hark’s video was not only visibly displayed as a reminder of what he had said to them that day but also played to reinforce that which he had shared with them. And to honor that part of him that was still with them all.
I would not be surprised if it continues to be shared with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and so on. For everything he said was a message for us all. Always remember the good of who you are and never forget those that came before, that contributed the building blocks of the good person you became.
