Today’s Daily Stoic writing prompt: How long does praise really last, anyway?
I used to worry a lot more about “leaving a legacy.” When you don’t really believe in an afterlife in the traditional sense, knowing you’ll be remembered when you are gone is comforting–but even then, in terms of the grand sweep of time, there are very few who are remembered more than a few generations.
I could look at that bleakly, but what I’ve chosen to do is to look more at impacts I can have today. Am I doing things I love? Am I helping people to be better? Am I leaving this place better than I find it? Because I also believe in the concept of ripples through time. Things were done in the past to make my life possible. People have written things, done things, created things, built things, some of which have passed away and are forgotten, but helped my ancestors, making me possible. So the things I do today may indeed leave a legacy–but it will likely not be one of fame. Instead my deeds will become part of the fabric of time.
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They were not kidding about side effects, although still way better than COVID. When I went to bed last night, I suffered from several hours of chills. Eventually those subsided, but replaced by general body aches, particularly lower back pain. I couldn’t get comfortable. I got a session with the back massager when Dave woke up, along with A-535. That’s been pretty much the story of today. Low grade sinus headache, general aches and pains, and a bit of a lightheaded feeling if I sit up too quickly from one of the naps I’ve been taking. I’m now feeling almost normal. Still some sinus pressure. One of my co-workers, however, was apparently slammed for two days with the reaction. I wondered when I saw she was off yesterday whether that was what it was. Apparently she had a fever for two days.
I did get to attend my noontime webinar (which will be posted here) on Frank Lloyd Wright’s cars, where I learned that the Cord I’d seen before on loan to the Pierce-Arrow museum was actually his second of that particular model, acquired in the 1950s. It looks like the first iteration eventually ended up pretty banged up, having been in more than one car accident. I also got back to reading articles; in fact, I’m going to spend the rest of this evening reading once I post this.
More progress on the embroidery. I am really glad I ordered more of that dark grey colour, because the current card is going to run out shortly.