What's Your Legacy?

The smartest guy I know (Papa-D) once started a conversation with me about Legacies.  Although reading about other people's or creating them did not really interest me, it made me start to think if people actually think about, or even care, what people think of them when they are no longer here.  How do I (or you) want to be categorized when your life is over?  What do you want people to remember you by? and most importantly what mark have you left on other's lives?  
As everyone knows we live in a world where people tend to remember more negative then positive, they tend to soon forget things that others have done for them, and being in sales I hear this a lot, but "What have you done for me lately?" If I were to die tomorrow...what would be said about me?  I can pretty much guess, but I'm not sure if I'm happy with my footprint so far. 
Part of it is because Americans spend so much time working, to make money of course, to survive and live a comfortable and happy life.  Our social lives are rushed. Never enough time in the day for both.  You can work 10 hours a day, and there will still be work the next day.  You can justify working because you are getting a paycheck.  If we were payed to socialize (some occupations are) wouldn't life be blissful?  People would gather more, more experiences and memories would be made.
I believe there are a few things people want to be remembered for.  If they really loved what they did and had a great career, then that would probably be one part of it.  Meaning if they invented something, came up with major strategies for a company, built a business from the ground.  Many entrepreneurs, politicians and high ranking CEOs will want to be partly remembered by that, but that's not what will carry your legacy.  Your family, your friends and the people that you make a "footprint" on will carry it.  A business does not have feelings, it certainly has replacements. It may have great benefits, awards and bonuses, but not emotions.  An emotion is what creates a memory and a memory is what carries a legacy.
This goes upon something that we always hear, which is you need to have a good balance of work and personal life, but this day and age it tends to overlap a lot.  So regardless of what you do or how important some things are to do, think about what you want to be remembered for and start to make your footprint.  Try to make serious mental notes when others go out of their way to help you as this may be their way of creating a memory that they would like you to remember them by. Take a break, evaluate those around you and how you want them to be part of your life.  Most importantly...make sure you're living the life you want to live.  We don't get another one after this one is over, and clocks do not stop ticking.  It's never too late, and never too early.