How will you be remembered?

By Rennie Phillips

It's been a lot of years since we visited the cemetery that overlooks Ogallala, Nebraska. One tombstone that I remember is that of Les Moore. His headstone reads: "Here lies Lester Moore. Four slugs from a .44. No Les no more." And honestly there may not even be an actual body below the headstone. Probably not. I Googled it and it looks like there are a lot of cemeteries around that have this same headstone. I don't know a thing about Les Moore except the fact he was killed. He might have been a bad guy or a good guy or simply an unlucky guy. I don't know. So I'll remember him simply from the little jingle on his headstone.

That's the same for all of us no matter who we are. When I think of Einstein I think of his theory of relativity. Or when I think of Bach I think of high-brow music. When Hank Williams comes to mind I think of old country music. Just recently Don Williams passed away and memories of him always include a soft country style. When President Kennedy's name comes up I think of his death in Dallas, but also the Cuban Missile Crisis and Nikita Khrushchev. I also think of his wife and family. Sad memories. When I think of Eisenhower I think of him as a general. At that time I was a little too young to be into politics.

When we are young we don't think about how we will be remembered. Many times we do stupid stuff or get in trouble. Sometimes we end up in trouble with the law. If we are lucky it will be a minor infraction and will go away in time. But there are times when it's serious and will follow us throughout our journey here on Earth. In those cases, it's sad.

Some will be remembered as habitual criminals. Charles Manson will always be remembered as the mastermind and leader of the group that murdered Sharon Tate. He is probably more well known simply because he comes up for parole every few years. Bonnie and Clyde are a gangster-type couple. One I grew up reading about was Tom Horn, a notorious killer hired by cattlemen to get rid of settlers in the Western states. One I'll remember is O.J. Simpson. O.J. will be remembered as an awesome running back, but also for the murder scene as well as the scene of the white Bronco traveling down a highway and then the scene with the glove.

For some, success and identity can be summed up in one word: money. Their desire is to accumulate wealth regardless of what it costs or who it hurts. It's pretty sad. It seems like there are people in the news and sports who are amassing a virtual fortune, but what is the cost and who is it hurting?

I honestly believe some don't care how they will be remembered. It seems like some are bent on living a lawless life filled with destruction. It seems like some are bent on harming others. Sad.

But how do you want to be remembered?

Most of us with kids will want to be remembered as being a good parent and a good grandparent as well. I know I want to be remembered like that. Most of us want to be remembered as being a good provider. I do. Most of us want to be remembered as being a good friend. That I want to be as well. I would like to be remembered as being honest and reliable.

How will they remember you? I've been called the "Tomato man" simply because of all the tomatoes that we grow. I don't mind that at all. Some will remember me as that guy who wrote in the newspaper. That would be OK as well. Some think of me as the preacher. That's OK. When some think of me they'll think back to a wedding I performed or maybe a funeral. Some may have troublesome memories of me. They may not like what I wrote or said, or something I did. That is part of life. Not everyone will like everything about you. I know there are some who don't care for me. That's life.

But the No. 1 trait I'd like to be remembered by is my investment in others. Simply put, I'd like to help others become better human beings while here on this Earth, as well as earn a spot in heaven in the life to come.

Really, to sum it up, be a blessing to others, and how you will be remembered will just come naturally.