Will I Be Remembered?

Some days I wonder: when time has passed and life has moved on: what will I be remembered for?

We spend so much of our lives trying to impress others: our families, our bosses, our friends, and for some of us, even God. But how often do we pause and ask: What about me? Why don't I try to impress myself?

Maybe it’s because I’ve been too critical of myself. Or maybe, somewhere along the way, I stopped seeing myself as important. Social media has only deepened that disconnect. We've become obsessed with external validation; likes, shares, comments, so much so that we've forgotten the one person who truly needs our attention: ourselves. The one person who should be cherished, impressed, loved, and cared for… lives within.

I think back to when I was younger; when we, as women in our 40s now, were teens or young adults. Back then, we prioritized ourselves. We took care of our hearts, our minds, and our friendships, and only then did we offer our energy to others. Our lives weren’t curated for social media; they were lived out loud, in real conversations, real moments, and real relationships.

We used our voices: our actual voices. Not emojis or caps lock. We cried, laughed, screamed, hugged, twirled. We could hear when someone needed support. We could see it in their eyes. That was how we cared for our mental health, our individuality, and our connection to the world.

We didn’t need an app to remind us to breathe or a wellness podcast to validate our worth. Well-being wasn’t a trend; it was woven into how we lived—through connection, presence, and community. We found comfort over coffee, healing through hugs, and strength in simply showing up for each other without a scheduled reason.

But now? The world feels lonelier. We're all chasing a purpose, myself included. We want to be remembered for the good we've done, yet in that pursuit, we often forget the very thing that gives our lives meaning: deep, genuine human connection.

I see it happening every day: the unraveling of togetherness, the rise of curated appearances over raw reality. And yet, I still believe we can shift it. One by one. Moment by moment. Little by little.

So I start with me. I try to be more present, more grounded, more attuned to the person I used to be, the one who knew how to feel and be felt without a filter. I want to remember her. I want to live in a way that honors her.

And maybe, just maybe, by doing that, I’ll not only feel less empty, but I’ll help someone else feel a little more full, a little more seen, a little more loved.