Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Feinstein. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Emily, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?
A legacy is an interesting concept, because we might work our entire lives trying to make an imprint on this world, yet others might remember us for something totally separate from our life’s work. Since I was little, I carried with me a fear of death. I know this is a common fear, but the origin that drove me to feel this way was the notion that I would one day cease to exist– physically and in the hearts and minds of others who still remain. Yes, your family will remember you. Yes, there will be photos and videos that hopefully get passed on from generation to generation. But I wanted my life to mean more than that. I wanted to be someone who changed the world…even if it was in the slightest way. Writing has always been my passion, therefore, I came to the conclusion that if I published something great…something that will be considered “classic” and “stand the test of time,” then my legacy will be actualized. As I’ve matured, however, I’ve realized this goal was sort of selfish and egotistical. It was focused on me, and making sure people knew my name. My real legacy might come in a different form, and I might leave more than one legacy. If I had to choose the one that I believe would be the most fulfilling, it would be making a difference in someone’s life– making such a difference it made them feel important, less alone, and in turn caused them to leave their own legacy. I believe each human soul exists for a reason, and each one of us will always leave legacies behind. We don’t get to choose what those will be, and they will always be subjective; in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. The only thing we can do in this life to leave a legacy is to be the best version possible of ourselves, treating everyone we touch with kindness and understanding. I hope that whatever my legacy/legacies are, they will have made a positive impact on as many people as humanly possible, which will indirectly change the world, even if ever so slightly.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a journalist, turned community engagement leader- working with young adults inside the Houston Jewish community. Just as many skills blend into other job roles, my writing and journalistic nature remains one of my primary strengths with my community. Through writing (and lately lots of note taking), I have developed strong communication skills, mastered interpersonal relations and interactions, enough to feel comfortable putting myself in otherwise awkward positions such as meeting strangers on a weekly basis and “interviewing” them just enough to understand their backgrounds, what makes them tick, and how I can help meet the goals they are searching for and get them connected. It is a very active role, involving getting in front of several faces, facilitating social and intellectually stimulating events for a particular demographic, and working with an entire team inside my organization to get the best possible results from each interaction. I am a people person, but I express myself best through writing. I have nearly 18 years of writing and editing experience for newspapers, magazines and online content. I currently volunteer as a senior contributor for one of the largest parenting blogs in Houston called Houston Moms, where I have a voice and platform concerning parenting and all the challenges and triumphs I have experienced with my own two young children. I am always open to taking freelance writing gigs, and I have begun writing a historical nonfiction book documenting the legacy of a family hero, of whom my son is named after. I also edit written works often for family and friends, especially for my mother-in-law, Orna Feinstein, who is a renowned artist, and who has been featured on Canvas Rebel a few times now. Writing will always be a big part of who I am, and I hope to touch many people’s hearts through my words throughout my lifetime.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
This is a painful one. The book I previously mentioned I began writing back in 2019…it was meant to be co-authored (or co-conceptualized) with my father-in-law, David Feinstein. The main character is actually his uncle, and his uncle is very well-known and considered a celebrated hero in Israel. This story is told in many formats including plays in Israel, but no one knows about it in the U.S. After David told me the story while we were visiting an underground prisoner’s museum in Jerusalem (where his uncle died), my mouth hung open in amazement, and I knew I needed to tell this story in English. David began researching, and conjuring up every Hebrew document he could get his hands on. He then re-wrote it all in English and created a memorial web site with every single piece of information he knew. I edited the entire site and then I began writing, using the information on this web site as my primary information source. Just a few months after the writing commenced (we had only had one book-related planning meeting) his life was cut short by a coronary aneurysm. It took me close to a year to pick this project back up. His death was one of the most traumatic things I have ever had to overcome, and it was too hard to even consider working on this project without my creative partner. Finally, I started writing again. I did it for him, because I knew he wanted it to be actualized, whether or not he was alive to see it. My progress on the book has slowed almost to halt since beginning my new career in community engagement, but I am someone who finishes what they start. And even if it takes years or decades, I will finish this book. That is what he would have wanted.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being creative is exactly that: creating something. To see an idea come to fruition and to know that with your own imagination and hard work, there is a tangible result, I just find that so beautiful and fulfilling. We all hear the expression that you can do anything you set your mind to. Being creative is like the epitome of that concept. All it takes is one idea and the tenacity to see it through, and voila: you’ve made something real for others to enjoy, if not marvel upon.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.emilybfeinstein.com/
- Instagram: @ebfeinstein
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilybfeinstein
- Linkedin: Emily Feinstein
- Other: https://meirfeinstein.org/index.html https://houston.momcollective.com/author/emilyfeinstein/