You make a difference

            I stand on my deck and throw a stone into the glass like water on the small pond outside my house.  There is an instant impact, a circular ripple that spreads outward towards the edges of the pond.  It reminds me of the impact that we have on those around us every day.  You never really know how your actions, big or small, impact the world and people around you.

o   The smile you share with someone on the street

o   A hug between you and a friend you haven’t seen in a while

o   The little extra you left the server in the tip at the restaurant

o   The morning walk you have been taking

o   The decision to sign up for that class

That smile that you shared with someone today?  It made their day.  That is what it took for them to realize that they mattered, that they were not invisible to the world.  They have been slowly losing their self-confidence over the past month…feeling unworthy and unloved.  It was the smile that you shared that gave them a boost. They went home feeling uplifted. Like life may be worth living after all and that feeling was spread to her little 3 year old daughter.

That hug that you gave to a friend today?  It was the first sense of warmth and kindness that they have felt in over a year. The physical touch of a hug made their blood start to flow warm again.  They have been feeling lonely, sad, and withdrawing from people lately.  .  Why was it today that you bumped into each other at the store?  It had been years since you last saw them.  It was YOUR strong, compassionate hug that was just what they needed to let them know someone cared.  

The little extra you left the server in the tip at the restaurant, It was only a couple extra dollars, the server seemed sad, that is all, and you just left not thinking anything of it.  Come to find out that server came home to a sick child and needed the extra money for a prescription that needed filling…making the extra money in the tip a much appreciated gesture

That new morning walk you have been taking? It has inspired the mom who lives across the street.  She hasn’t moved in years!  She has been watching and admiring you from the window, lace up your sneakers, smile, and stretch and move your body.  She admires your drive and dedication.  You had told her about your goal a couple months ago and asked her to join you.  She said she couldn’t ever do that, but now, because of you, she wants to set her own goal and move with you…

That Class that you debated on signing up for?After all that deliberation in your head, the voices telling you it would be too hard, or that you wouldn’t be able to do it, you decided to take the bull by the horns, bite the bullet…jump into your fear, and you did it. You successfully finished.  You are proud, and because of what you accomplished you have been the perfect model for your son, daughter, cousin, sister…Giving them all hope that anything is possible, even when they think it is not.

You make a bigger difference in this world than you may think.  The events and experiences of our lives are like ripples a stone makes in the water. They last long after the stone sinks to the bottom.  What kind of ripples have you made in your past, AND what kind of ripple will you make today?