My house recently flooded and underwent a reconstruction which forced my family to move out for three months. While moving back in over spring break, I came across some family memorabilia and heirlooms that I found very interesting, and caused me to think about life and legacy.

What I found were two Alabama baseball hats: One looked brand new, and one looked like it had been worn everyday for the past thirty years. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that they were signed by Paul “Bear” Bryant.

My father then told me the story of when he was a student here at The University of Alabama and saw Bear Bryant on campus and asked him to sign these hats. He then gave one hat to his father, and one to his father-in-law. His own father safely put his autographed hat on the top shelf of a bookcase, out of the sunlight and out of the reach of others. His father-in-law, however, wore the hat proudly to every occasion and even around the house.

This story reminded me of the passing of Mal Moore and the huge legacy he will leave behind, much like Bear Bryant. His hard work, his compassion and the effect he had on Alabama sports as a player, coach and administrator will forever be remembered in the hearts of those who knew him and those who knew of him.

Both the passing of Mal Moore and the passing on of Bear Bryant autographed hats has made me think about the way we treat the legacies we will receive, as college students and the next generation to graduate and enter the real world.

The two baseball hats represent two ways we can handle the passing of a legacy. We can treasure it and respect it, putting it up on a pedestal away from the hands of others but still in view. Or, we can use it and love it, taking it with us everywhere we go, using it and displaying it on us or within us.

Neither one is right or wrong. From university legacies like Bear Bryant and Mal Moore to family legacies of our own, what is important is that we do not let these legacies go unnoticed. We should learn from them, strive to be like them and take advantage of the opportunities they provide.

Hannah Waid is a junior majoring in English. Her column runs biweekly on Wednesdays.

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