Legacy-The Young Version of Me

Looking at my two kids, it gives me so much joy and a little bit of fear. Joy because I pride myself to have made it to adulthood and start a family despite the conditions in which I grew up. Fear because, looking at my under five kids and wondering what their future holds for them. Especially with the many hazards that society presents.

But here I am, a proud father of two, working hard to ensure that my kids grow up into better responsible adults, better than me. It is a promise I gave to myself back when I was just a little boy, a promise that everything that I lacked as a child, my kids won’t lack.

I vowed to give my kids the childhood I never had, to the extent that, if I fail to make it in life, I will not start a family because I wouldn’t want to raise a child who is lacking in things I lacked in. And now am here, with a duty to raise a family.

Looking at my kids, I see myself in a younger version. With this, I do not want to hurt the younger version of me. I want to give the younger version of me the best of the treatment, the best of the education, the best of the opportunity, the best of everything I never had including what I had, but in its best form, to the best of my abilities.
What I desire is a future that I dreamed of having, even though I have made it, I have not reached my desired goal, I know reaching that goal is a miracle, so I’m giving it to my kids.

It does not mean I am going to spoil them. It means that I will do what it takes to see the younger version of me surpass the current version of me. I desire to give the young me a balance of life that will not hurt them and will also not spoil them. They will have inherited an empire that they shall build on. What I will leave them with and continue growing it and pass it on to their children.

Legacy, to me, it is the best foundation for every child. And I think this is the one thing African families have failed to emulate. It is like for an African to make it, they have to start from scratch, and that kind of wealth cannot compare to that of inheritance. Most parents in Africa will die with their wealth because they did not plan for it after the demise. One who inherits wealth inherits together with the knowledge and wisdom if the parents had plans for it. A good parent will plan and train his/her kids on how to maintain and grow a legacy.

As for me, I get inspired by seeing myself in my kids and desiring the best for myself in my kids and the coming generations, caring the family name.