When I think of the word legacy, I might see tangible assets being left to my children, family and community. This type of thinking flows from my background in finance, where success is measured in dollar bills.

As a father, I’ve come to see that many of my successes are hidden.

• The conflict not engaged in
• The harsh word not spoken
• The anger not acted upon

Might the absence of certain experiences be a valuable legacy to leave my children?

• The absent father not indulged
• The distant mother not reinforced
• The angry parent not encouraged
• Keeping myself from becoming a casualty in my later years

In working on the above, I might make my kids aware of my faults, my failings and the techniques that helped me manage them.

A different, but valuable, inheritance.