When I was young, I wanted to be remembered by some great invention or building a business. As I got older, I am learning that I wanted to be remembered by how I treated people.

As I look back on the people who I consider the most important in my life, it was the ones who did not worry themselves with the things they could buy but rather how they treated people.

There was my uncle Earl, probably my favorite uncle and I had a number of wonderful aunt’s and uncle’s. Uncle Earl owned the family grocery store. I suppose he bought it from my grandparents, I don’t really recall. He provided house credit accounts to his customer and many times; these customers could not pay off their debt. He could have easily cut them off, but rather he would start them over. Looking back, he may have actually hurt the people by wiping out this debt, but I believe he saw it as his ministry. He would hold checks to be cashed at a later day. He would loan money at no interest. He would hold guns like a pawn shop. He sang in a quartet of men at church, funerals and I recall there was even a cassette tape of their music. He closed the grocery store on Sunday’s and a few major holidays. The bottom line for him was about helping others.

I saw this same in my dad. He was always ready to lend a helping hand to other truck drivers who might need a tool or advice on a repair. He spent hours working with a building crew at our church. We heard stories about him from other truckers of how he would turn down loads because maybe the younger truckers had a truck payment and needed a load. I remember one Sunday afternoon, Uncle Earl needed a trailer moved that held animal feed. I watched dad wrestle around trying to get that trailer perfectly situated and I recall he really tried his patience and skill.

He was a wonderful patient teacher when it came to auto repairs or teaching you to drive. He was gone most of the week but he always made me feel special. I have heard that from other people who encountered him. I wish I had some of his stories recorded. Looking back, he would have been a great engineer. He left high school in the 11th grade. His birth father died traetically from a stomach issue 6 months after my dad’s birth. I often wonder what his life would have been like. I feel like realtaionship and caring for others may have been in his genes from both his parents. My grandmother was always serving others be it her family or morning deliiverys of fresh milk and in the summer vegtables from her garden. My dad no doubt grew up very poor but he was most giving to those around him.

The bottom line for how to be remembered, it has nothing to do with finances, status, job or how many important people I know. It is all about did I take the time to serve those around me and build relationships. Was I one of those people like my uncle or dad who did not get in too big of hurry to pass people by.

I certainly hope that is how I am remembered.