What Will You Leave Behind?

Written by Sheryl Shaffer

This past weekend I attended a graduation at our local public school. The senior class of 2011 from Larimore High School was different from other senior classes that I have observed in a public high school and I think I know why.

This class had the unusual privilege of having had a most remarkable classmate who had been a part of their class but died unexpectedly this past January. Andrew, the 18 year old son of my neighbors, Dave & Melissa, was a sweet, down syndrome boy with a heart as big as North Dakota itself. He had been allowed to be a part of the senior class. He was an enthusiastic young man who loved sports, participating in many special Olympic sporting activities and proudly wore his high school’s mascot of a polar bear at every home game. Andrew was so friendly. Everyone seemed to love him! He endeared himself to everyone he met.

At the graduation of his class, everyone who spoke, remembered him with kind words. His classmates each wore a button with his picture on it in remembrance of Andrew. I was actually quite impressed with how sober minded this class was and how gracious they were in keeping Andrew’s spirit alive at an occasion that was difficult for his grieving parents.

What made this so meaningful to me? I was struck with how one unassuming, mentally handicapped 18 year old boy could have such a profound, character changing effect on an entire senior class! Even the Principal was moved to tears when he spoke of the good ways that Andrew impacted their school. He spoke of how Andrew influenced his school for the better from just having been there and walked their halls.

Andrew left something behind that will always be remembered. He took everyone at face value, judged no one and loved everybody he met. Could people say that about you?

Will your girlhood leave anything beautiful behind when you are gone? We all have an influence and our influence touches people in ways we often do not even recognize. What will your legacy be when you are gone? Will people be able to say, “She accepted everyone at face value, judged no one and loved everybody she met?”

I wonder….