What is the legacy you want to leave behind?
“I don’t fully believe in the idea of legacy. Even someone like Mahatma Gandhi, who has a massive legacy, is now criticized by some people. That shows how legacy isn’t permanent — it’s just a temporary perception. Over time, everything changes, even how we remember great figures.”
People often say, “Leave a legacy.”
They believe it’s the one way to live on, even after death — through our actions, values, or contributions. But is legacy truly something permanent? Or is it just a temporary illusion, shaped by the present and slowly eroded by time?
Take Mahatma Gandhi, for example — a man who led millions towards freedom, who taught the world the power of nonviolence. His name is written in history books, his image on currency, and his words still quoted. That’s legacy, right?
But even someone like him, with such a towering legacy, is not immune to criticism today. Some question his beliefs, others analyze his decisions with modern perspectives. Over time, even the greatest legacies are reinterpreted — sometimes with admiration, sometimes with doubt.
So what does this tell us?
That legacy isn’t eternal.
It’s not a statue that stands forever untouched by weather.
It’s more like a painting in an open gallery — every generation sees it differently, some appreciate it, some criticize it, and others may walk past without noticing.
This isn’t about disrespecting anyone’s contributions. It’s about understanding how time changes everything — even how we remember people.
Maybe instead of chasing a legacy, we should focus on living fully now — doing what feels right, standing for our truth, loving fiercely, helping quietly.
Let history decide what it wants to remember.
Because in the end, everything changes.
Even legacy.