Life & Legacy

"What we do in life echoes in eternity"

On the eve of a fierce battle, a mighty king sat overlooking his kingdom from his balcony. Deep in thought he didn’t hear as his twelve-year-old son approached, “Hello father, are you nervous of the upcoming battle?”, the boy asked, looking up at him. With a smile he looked down, “I am always nervous, my son, but that is not what has my attention tonight. The thoughts keeping me awake tonight are of you and my legacy that I leave for you.” The son, looking out to the kingdom and smiling, says, “but your legacy is great, father”. The king kneels, laying a hand upon his son’s shoulder and sighing “the legacy I leave this kingdom may indeed be great but what am I leaving for you?” He then wraps his son in a tight hug and whispers to him, “I love you my son, when you become king and have the responsibility of leadership on your shoulders do me one favor and choose your family over all things.”

You see, this mighty king gave all of himself to his kingdom and his land. He loved his family but never took the time to appreciate the small moments; the touch of his loving wife, the laughter of his child or the fact that his men sacrificed their lives in the name of their king. He did as he was taught by his father; to rule and do what was required to keep the kingdom in power. The king never returned from that battle.

Per the royal decree, his son was to rule after his death but not until his sixteenth birthday. The queen kept the kingdom together all while raising her son to take control for the next four years. Learning from great knights in the art of warfare, from trusted counsel on day-to-day ruling, and from his mother on uniting the clans- the boy was turned into a great king. What was not foreseen from his teachers was the impact of that conversation he had with his father the night before he died. For that lesson was what stuck with him more than any other.

On his sixteenth birthday, crowned king and married to his bride he made an announcement that would change the course of the kingdom forever. He decreed the enacting of a ruling counsel, voted by the people, to help govern the kingdom. While he himself would serve as military leader and ultimate power he would allow the counsel powers which granted him time to spend outside of day-to-day ruling responsibilities. He would heed his father’s advice and spend time loving his wife, growing a family, and enjoying their time together. That would be their family legacy.