"Most people, if they are honest with themselves, would like to be remembered when they have passed over to the next life. For those who may have been awarded the Nobel Prize for this or that, ran a mile faster than any other man or woman in the world, invented penicillin, held the first position in their country as King, Queen, Emperor, President or Prime Minister, or managed to climb all the way up Mount Everest blindfolded with hands and feet bound, their place in the history books are guaranteed. And yet, there is no guarantee that their names or person shall be remembered.
People may someday forget who you were, what you said and may even overlook all you did in life, but they will never forget you, if they never forget 'how you made them feel' yesterday, today and tomorrow. A person's soul need only be touched once for the briefest of moments to ensure that one holds the memory for a lifetime and never forgets. When there is light in the soul there will be beauty in the person. We will never forget another who has touched our soul and made us happy; someone who gave us the spiritual experience of living with love, grace, and gratitude.
My mother often told me to believe in self and others but added that it was harder to believe in others as it is easier to influence oneself. Whenever I felt that something was too difficult to bear she would remind me that we are all stronger and better than we know; it's just that we sometimes forget it! She displayed this capacity to forget those things that hurt the most and prevents a person moving forward with their life. When she did look back, she did it forgivingly. She lived each day of her life gratefully and always looked forward to the next day hopefully. Forever, the dreamer and eternal optimist, she saw the innocence in every child and the miracle in every experience and was able to let go of the thoughts that didn't make her strong.
Was I to ascribe to her a saying she never said, but words and a way of life that she would wholeheartedly endorse, it would be, 'Let me live in a simple house by the side of the road and be a friend to all who pass.' That is why she touched my soul; that is why I'll never forget her." William Forde: September 18th, 2017