The Legacy We Leave: A Founders' Day Reflection

At our Founders’ Day service last week, I shared with those present that I love politics! Irrespective of the party, I enjoy learning about how and why people in positions of leadership do what they do. So, when I had the chance to watch the musical, “Hamilton”, I was intrigued by the concept of what these people tried to do in starting a new nation 250 years ago.

There’s a theme running through the musical and it comes from the protagonist, Alexander Hamiltion. He is often asking or being accused of being obsessed with his legacy. I read a wonderful quote just recently which puts legacy into action. A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.”

Part of the problem is that when we think of Legacies we sometimes think of impact through career or money. However, I believe our legacy is more about what we’ve done to impact others. It’s about the lives we have or will touch along the way. As we celebrated Founders’ Day, we can look to those who were there in 1983 and then look to those who continued to have influence on this incredible place, and understand their legacy. Each of them has had an impact on who we are today.

At Founders’ Day we honour people who gave of themselves for something greater than themselves.

Ordinary people who in the early 1980s, decided to do something extraordinary, they were going to create something that possibly none of them would have imagined would be the size, scope or quality of what it is today? And to those who followed our founders, they continued to contribute to this place in ways that we often don’t realise.

So, my challenge to the Somerset community is pretty simple, particularly to our staff and senior students.

What sort of legacy do we want to leave during our lives? It’s worth asking ourselves as we celebrated the legacy of our former Chair, My Tony Hickey OAM. Our legacy won’t be in status, but in the way we treat people. It won’t be in our networks, but in how we seek to make a difference to all, not just those around us. It won’t be our wealth, but what we do with that wealth to support others.

Sometimes, it’s hard to figure out how we do this. As a Christian, I think God gives each of us a desire to serve. In a book of the Bible called Galatians, there are some helpful hints on how we might build our legacy and I’ve summarised them here.

Don’t put yourself first. A legacy that matters, as we celebrate today, can only happen when we put others first.
Stay true to who you are. We are all very different, with different gifts and talents, so use what you’ve got to build into those around you and don’t think you have to be like the other person. This place is built on different people, at different times, with different gifts and each has played an incredible part.
Share what you have. Your time, your gifts, your wisdom.
And don’t get tired of doing it…a legacy needs commitment.
As I think of legacy, I think of the earlier quote, A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.” Our Founders and those who followed wanted to do something that would benefit others. But as they have done, we don’t just need to talk about it, we need to be intentional.

So, as we give thanks for our Founders and those who have served this community right through from 1983 to today, we give thanks for those who continue to serve, who continue to enrich this place. It’s my role as the current Headmaster to remind us all of what has gone before and to ask us all to consider what we will do for our own legacy. Let’s challenge ourselves on what we want our legacy to be acknowledging we’re never too young or too old to reflect on this.