Leave your mark on the world

Would you like to take advantage of your retirement years to create a tangible record of your time on earth for posterity? Here are some ideas to help you decide how you can leave your mark on the world.

The written word is a fine legacy and offers many possibilities. You could write your autobiography, telling your life story or that of your family by sharing the funniest or most touching stories that marked it. You could also create a collection of your finest poems, your best jokes, or your favorite quotes. Words are also a good way to pass on your knowledge and experience to loved ones, such as through a collection of your most delicious recipes, or the traditional remedies that have been handed down through the generations of your family.

If you’re not very good with words, other options are available to you. You could use images; after all, a picture is worth a thousand words. You could create chronological or thematic photo albums, or start scrapbooking, to leave your loved ones with lasting memories. If you enjoy doing research, you could also try to reconstruct your family tree from the time your ancestors first arrived in North America. You’re comfortable with multimedia? You could shoot videos to leave behind for the people you are close to; you could write a blog in which you share one of your passions, or create a website devoted to your family.

If you have children, you have already left your mark; the values you pass on will endure for generations to come.

Use your retirement to create lasting memories for your loved ones.