Over the weekend, I organised and ran a bridal shower for one of my closest friends. A group of her nearest and dearest travelled to the Blue Mountains to spend the weekend together celebrating her as a person and her upcoming marriage. While on a hike together, our conversations varied with light-hearted chatter and deep thoughts. One topic that came up while we were exploring was traditions, both traditional traditions and creating new traditions, and the value we place on certain things that become traditions. This led me to think about legacies. How would you define a legacy? Do you ever think about what kind of legacy you will leave behind or be remembered for?

When we ponder on the concept of leaving a legacy, we often just think of monetary legacies. It is important to think of monetary legacies, particularly as parents want to provide for their children, but we can also leave a legacy of character, values and faith. We can be an example to those around us by the way we live our lives. If we want to leave a legacy of love, then we lavishly pour love on those in our lives. If we want to leave a legacy of faith, then we demonstrate and share our relationship with God with others. If we want to leave a legacy of service, then act upon this by serving others in whatever capacity you can.

Humans have a desire to be remembered…to leave a legacy. I believe that not only should we care about leaving a legacy, but we should care about living a legacy. I walk through our corridors at school, walk into classrooms, spend time with students, with teachers, and I am surrounded by examples of others living a legacy. Teachers helping and supporting our students in their learning, students persisting with concepts that may be difficult, staff gently caring for those unwell or upset, students displaying respect and love for one another, staff showing grace and prompting students in making better choices; these are all examples of people living a legacy. The way we choose to live our lives will leave a legacy. I think of staff who have moved on to other schools to teach and the legacy they left behind at PPN by the type of person and teacher they are. I treasure the conversations I have with past students as they share their memories of their time here at Prescott. Some memories include experiences they may have had, but most include the positive differences that teachers have had on their lives, the legacies that these teachers instilled in the lives of their students. What traditions have we created here in our school community because of the example of others?

We currently have a tangible way for our families to leave a legacy here at Prescott Primary Northern. We are fundraising and creating personalised pavers to line our kitchen garden that will developed in our Nature Play. Names, drawings, years and designs will be on display and remembered for many years to come.

Our children, our students, are our legacy. What kind of people do we want to encourage them to grow up to be? You are writing your legacy every day. You are living your legacy. Your legacy starts now.

Blessings,

Tamara