A new day began but the old man has a tough time getting started.  The sunlight streams into the bedroom to reveal his past, pictures on the walls, mementos and other things that meant so much.  He finally gets moving, the floor creaking under his feet seem to do so as sympathy for the way his body feels.  He walks through the house that seems so empty now.  It was not long ago that voices and other noises of life filled the air.  The walls of the hallway are filled with pictures and are like a time capsule that show good times, accomplishments and life events.    As he enters the kitchen to make that first all important cup of coffee he recalls the good times around the table with family and friends, now gone.  He sits at the table with the coffee cup to recall what his life meant.  To him at first it has to be the accomplishments, he entered the Army right after high school.  He got to see the world and made lifelong friends who he considers as brothers to this day.  From time to time he gets a call from one of them as they check up on each other.  He also takes time to call some of them to see how they are doing.  These days the list to call seems to get smaller as they go on to meet their reward.  There are also nightmares from that time that still haunt him but he has no regrets on his choice to serve. 

He was hired by a big corporation after he left the Army where he became successful.  His goals then was to climb that corporate ladder seem so frivolous now. Was the stress worth it? Was the alienation of the ones he loved so much worth it? Fortunately a close friend pointed out what was happening and he was able to re-evaluate and bring his family closer, but it was at the cost of his career.  Best decision he ever made.  The financial struggle increased but he never felt more like a rich man as his family got closer.  Last year when he had to bury his wife was the worst thing that ever happened to him.  She brought so much life, which seems to have faded away with her.  

A knock at the door brought him out of his reminiscing.  He heard the key open the lock which he knew was his son about to enter the house.  He got up to pour a fresh cup of coffee for his son and to refresh his cup.   He turned around and smiled as his son said, “Hi Dad!”  “Good morning, coffee?”  The son replied, “Sure, thanks!  We have time for a cup before we have to leave.”   They talked about the small stuff, the weather and yard and house maintenance.  When the cups were dry, they both got up to head out to the car.  He grabs his coat on the way out.  As he followed his son to the car, he saw that this is where the real legacy is, every week his son picks him up to go to church.  The love for God he and his wife instilled into all of their children was the true legacy.