When Kindness Creates Legacy

Do you remember where you were when the world shut down during COVID-19?

I can’t believe it’s been five years, almost to the date when life as we knew it came to a screeching halt.

What began as distant news reports quickly became our shared reality. Schools closed. Offices emptied. Travel plans evaporated overnight.

My family was packing for a long-awaited Hawaiian vacation. Suitcases open on beds, sunscreen and flip-flops ready. Then came the devastating announcement: lockdown. Our trip vanished instantly, replaced by months of isolation.

Remember those early pandemic days?

The uncertainty. The empty streets. The scramble to find toilet paper. Weeks of not seeing friends or extended family, communicating through screens, and creating “bubbles” of safety.

While COVID forced physical distance, it also revealed the profound importance of human connection – something I was powerfully reminded of just yesterday.

I was at a trade show when a security guard’s face stopped me in my tracks. Someone I hadn’t seen in decades, Danny.

He is the son of family friends who had filled my childhood with unexpected kindness.

As we exchanged stories in that busy convention hall, he shared the heartbreaking news: his parents had passed during COVID. A wave of sadness washed over me, followed by a flood of memories.

Growing up, my family struggled financially. Every weekend, we’d pile into our weathered station wagon and drive to this family’s home.

They’d greet us with warm smiles and fill our trunk with fresh vegetables and fruits – completely free, week after week, for years. I don’t even know if they were farmers or just had an abundant garden, but their generosity was consistent and life-changing.

As a child, I never felt like a charity case. They made giving feel like friendship. They wrapped their generosity in dignity, making us feel special, valued, and loved.

Now, as an adult, I recognize the intentionality behind their actions. They consistently gave more than they received, creating ripples of impact they likely never witnessed.

Maya Angelou wisely noted, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Decades later, I still carry the warmth of how this family made us feel, even as the specific details of our interactions have faded.

During COVID, we learned to be intentional about connection – scheduling Zoom calls, creating online gatherings, and finding new ways to show we cared despite physical distance.

Now, as we’ve returned to in-person living, that intentionality still matters. This chance meeting reminded me of a profound truth:

your legacy isn’t built on grand gestures or accumulating wealth. It’s created in small moments of genuine connection, in the emotional imprints you leave on others’ hearts.

How to Create a Legacy of Kindness

1. Practice Presence Over Perfection
   When someone speaks, truly listen instead of formulating your response. Put away your phone. Make eye contact. Ask thoughtful follow-up questions. 

 

Being fully present communicates value more powerfully than perfectly chosen words or expensive gifts.

Remember a time when someone really listened to you – how did it make you feel? You can offer that same gift to others today.

2. Find the Invisible Need
   The most meaningful support often addresses needs people don’t openly express. My parents’ friends recognized that our family of eight could benefit from some free produce. But they gave us even more, friendship, support, and dignity.

 

Look beneath surface-level requests to discover what might really help someone flourish. Sometimes it’s practical support disguised as friendship, guidance wrapped in encouragement, or simply being the person who notices when someone is struggling before they have to ask.

3. Create Rituals of Connection
   Regular, reliable touchpoints create security in relationships. Perhaps it’s Sunday dinner with family, monthly coffee with a friend going through tough times, or weekly check-ins with colleagues.

 

Consistency builds trust and communicates that someone matters enough for you to prioritize them repeatedly, not just when it’s convenient.

The world remains uncertain five years after COVID changed everything. But one thing remains the same, we can be people who make others feel valued, seen, and important.

What if today, you decided to be the person someone remembers decades from now, not just for what you gave them, but for how you made them feel? What if your legacy began with your very next interaction?

Your legacy is being written in every conversation, every gesture, every moment of connection. Make it one of kindness.

Want to transform your relationships through intentional connection?

Join the waitlist for my exclusive Relationship Mastery Accelerator group coaching. Limited spaces available for those ready to create meaningful, lasting bonds with the people who matter most.