I hardly remember my grandfather, but I’ve come to suspect that certain values common to all his children and grandchildren may be the reflections of lessons he learned in his own life. Without exception, each of us graduated from college, for instance, and there are other commonalities that can’t be traced to genetics (as far as I know). I can recognize echoes of my father’s life in mine, too.
I don’t want to live forever, and when I die, I have no illusions about an afterlife, and that’s okay with me. It’s a comfort, though, to think that– maybe– the lessons I’ve learned the hard way might echo along in someone else’s life, and make their lives a little easier.
Thank you, Grieving Atheist, for stimulating these thoughts by your excellent writing.
