"Make your life such a story that it never loses its glory.” If someone ever remembers me, I want it to be because of my aura. They’ll remember me for the way I speak, The lives I touched through my writing and the kind of light I showed, The polite I was, The respect I gave, And the smiles I produced. You die and you just leave this beautiful legacy behind. A loving family. Friends and loved ones who miss you dearly and remember you fondly. You’re but a relic now, but relics tend to be cherished.

It’s amazing, when you live long enough to become somewhat of a legend. You almost belong to an ancient era, your youngest descendants can barely relate to it — your children have children of their own, and even those children now have children. You’re so far removed from their lives, and yet a part of you lives on in each and every single one of them. “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Asking yourself “how do I want to be remembered” is another way of asking, “how do I want to make people feel?”

I believe that kindness can change lives, heal wounds, and most certainly help others. But I want to be remembered not just as someone who is kind, compassionate, and helps others. I have never thought of this. I’ve thought of my life ending, of course, and I’ve thought of how I would like my remains to be dealt with. But I have never thought of how I would like to be remembered. I have a little life insurance policy, and if I don’t outlive it, it will be more than enough for my children to take care of business after my demise.

I say this, because these services are not for the deceased, they are for the living. For many people, it is cathartic to attend services for a deceased friend or family member. It gives them a chance to say their last goodbyes and to have closure. I like to picture my loved ones gathered together to symbolically say goodbye to me. I hope there’s much love and humor at the service. After that, my girls can do whatever they want to with my ashes. If they want to put me in a mausoleum, to have a place to go to if they want to, to “visit” me, that is fine. If they want to sprinkle my ashes to the wind. cool. If they want to put them in a dumpster, ok. I won’t know, I won’t care.

But the question is, how would I like for people to remember me. I hope that I am genuine enough in my words and actions, that people will know that I was no faker. What you saw is what you got. I hope they think of me as a strong individual who made the best of every situation, and learned from my mistakes. I hope my nieces will always remember me as “Mr. Marshmallow” because they love it and I do too. I hope their moms and dads will always call me Uncle M when they recall memories of me. I hope nobody pities me. I just hope to be remembered fondly.

I’m certain that someone is bound to see my obituary and say, “Oh, hell, that idiot died.” You can’t please everybody. In time, I will be forgotten. My ashes will mix with the soil or my marker will weather and fade. In time, the people who knew me will also die, until I am just a name on someone’s family tree. But that matters not, because my soul will rejoice in heaven with the angels for eternity. That’s the biggest, most important part of the plan. And that’s what I pray for. Tell me. Am I a regular part of your day? Do you wake up in the morning and read something I've written? Do you think about it later?

Does it come to mind at a time when something I said makes you see things differently, be less angry, less frustrated, suffer less? Have you ever read something I write and thought "Me too! I was sure I was the only one who felt this way, and I am not." Do my words keep you company? I will write as much as I possibly can before I die. What I want, way more than being remembered, is for anyone who reads my words to feel less alone. This is what I want to leave behind.

I want to be known for lifting people up, not putting them down. I want to be known for helping people. I want to be known for (almost) always being kind until someone gives me a good reason not to be. You never know what someone’s been through. I want to be remembered for having an open mind. I want to be remembered for my music, which is about mental health. I don’t necessarily want to be famous, but if that’s what it takes for my writing and songs to be read and heard, that’s what I aspire to do. Like I said, I write about mental health and other important issues. I think people could benefit from listening to my music (and before you go off at me in the comments, no, I do not think I am the best person on Earth, and no, I am not full of myself by any means. Ask my friends). Personally, writing songs and listening to my favorite music has helped me deal with a lot in my life, and those who hear them feel similarly.

As of right now, there is no way for you to listen to my music, I hope if and when that happens you will watch ,my videos! I love the community I’ve joined and contributed to here, and I would never want to leave. Okay, I won’t say never, but I highly doubt it. As much as I thought it wouldn’t, and although it’s had its positive and negative affects, social media has actually helped my mental health. Thanks y’all. I kind of lost steam really quickly, I don’t know why. Today’s a low day I guess. I’m going to end this here, love you guys! Stay amazing, Cheers!