I believe it’s human nature to want to be remembered. Or at least, to leave some kind of mark on our small corners of the world before we depart them. I also believe that most of us go out of our way to ensure that the mark left behind isn’t a scar. When presented with the question of how they want to be remembered, 15 people came up some raw, humorous, and refreshingly honest answers:
1. “I want to be remembered for my heart and my humor.” -Lauren, 24
2. “I want to be remembered for my personality. I want to be the one who they remember for being so caring, nice and lovable. I want to be remembered for always helping others and caring about the environment. If I could somehow make an impact on anyone in a positive way, that’s all that matters.” -Ashley, 21
3. “Honestly, I’ll probably be remembered as the guy who could clear a room after eating too much Taco Bell. That’s totally fine by me.” – Anonymous
4. “I want to be remembered for being tough enough to overcome, or live with, quite a few sicknesses that ailed me.” – Heather, 26
5. “Remember me as a woman who didn’t give a fuck about trivial things, worked hard, and achieved things she never imagined she would. Also, I want to be remembered as the one who made people happy.” – Jordan, 22
6. “In high school, I got expelled for punching a teacher, who bullied my autistic little brother, in the face. Every morning when he looks in the mirror and sees his crooked nose, I hope he remembers me. Even if he is the only one who does, I’m cool with it.” – Anonymous
7. “I want to be remembered as the guy who was always willing to try and make someone laugh.” – Tyler, 24
8. “I want to be remembered as the uninhibited one. I want to be remembered as straightforward and honest. The kind-hearted, but mostly just realistic one. I want to be remembered as the slightly introverted, artistic creep of the family. Also, remember me as the person who left the cardboard on the bottom of the pizza, almost catching the house on fire.” – Kaitlin, 19
9. “I want to be remembered as the kind, helpful person I am.” – Sara, 29
10. “I hope that I am remembered for being a kind person. There were definitely moments in my life where I wasn’t, but it’s something that I pride myself on now as an adult, especially with seeing how mean people can be. I hope that I am remembered as a person who always tried to build others up, even when the rest of the world tried to tear them down. Sometimes, being nice in such a cruel world feels useless, like throwing an ice cube into a raging forest fire. But if one person stops and remembers a time that I encouraged them, gave them a compliment, or provided them just one small act of kindness, it would mean the world to me to know that it was not in vain and it left even the tiniest impact.” – Sierra, 23
11. “Remember me as the one who got away.” – Anonymous
12. “I want to be remembered as somebody who made a positive difference in the lives of others. I have been a teacher for 20 years. There are many benefits to the job, and there is a lot of heartache. More heartache than I care to admit or was prepared for. Of all the benefits, the things that mean the most to me are the “little” things, like when I get an unexpected hug from a student, or when out of the blue, a kid says they love me. Or when I receive a random Facebook message from someone I barely remember, who tells me that I am the only reason he kept coming to school or graduated. When a former student decides to become a teacher, and mentions that I was a motivating factor or that he/she is going to model his/her classroom after mine. Those are the things that keep me coming back, year after year. I would like to believe that there are more stories like the ones mentioned above than I am even aware of. Some stories never get told, but these are the things that remind me why I do what I do for a living, and why I keep showing up to work.” – David, 49
13. “Kind, I wanna be remembered as being kind.” – Anonymous
14. “I want to be remembered as the girl who stood up for what she believed in, and went out of her way to show appreciation for the people she loved. Remember me as the girl who loved you fiercely, without apology, even if you were too scared to love me back. Remember me as the girl who made it her life goal to put the chaos of this world in to words, so that other people who were going through the same shit could relate and know that they weren’t alone. Remember me as the girl who always tried to do the right thing. If nothing else, remember that every time they stabbed me in the back, I bled nothing but loyalty. Remember me for trying, really fucking hard.” – Gina Clingan, 24
15. “I really don’t care, to be honest. People are gonna talk their shit, regardless. Whether it be something I did high, or drunk. The often good-hearted acts; The times I helped everyone I could, but at the end of the day I’ll always just have been there. I’ve inspired people just by being myself, and I guess that’s good enough for me. Dress me in my favorite band T-shirt and shorts, and my chucks. Cremate me that way. And send me off in all of my favorite places.” – Luke, 28
How do you want to be remembered? 
