H. A. Rey, if you can’t guess from the picture, is the author and illustrator of the children’s book Curious George. Today we are celebrating his 114th birthday! Most people dream about living to 100, let alone, past 100. H. A. Rey has done it.
Let’s think about George for a moment, we can learn a lot from the stories. For instance, there are a lot of questions, and specific questions at that! The books – through George – also continuously preach that it is better to ask for forgiveness than to ask permission; a trait often attributed to the successful risk-takers of the world. But wait, we are not celebrating George’s birthday, we’re celebrating his creator’s.
You’re obviously not falling for the idea that H. A. Rey is 114-years-old. No. You know, as well as I, – if you haven’t Googled it already – that H. A. Rey died 35 years ago! This act of celebrating someones birthday, long after they have passed, is indicative of a legacy.
Rey had focused on creating something that would be remembered long after his death. That is what sets him apart from thousands of other children’s book authors and illustrators, no matter how successful any of them may have been or are now. To create a legacy like that of H. A. Rey, you need to know what legacy you want and use that as your focus point for creation. While you may have a dozen books published or be taking in an annual 1.2 million, if you truly want to know your degree of success, ask yourself the type of question used on every second page of the book; a question that intrigues you and encourages you to turn the page and keep moving forward.
When you die, will your work be remembered?
Stay Positive & Everyone Dies, But Your Work Doesn’t Have To
Garth E. Beyer
