You may never know it, but someone, somewhere is counting on you.
I came home yesterday to find an envelope wedged in my front door. The envelope contained a clipping from a newspaper about a story of someone who has been overcoming mental health challenges. I had worked with this person in the past, and as I finished reading the article I realized that I had a small part to play in their progress. I’m not trying to take credit for their progress here, just conveying that I was encouraged that some of the things that we had worked through were cited as foundational items in the progress. It brought a sense of meaning to my life.
The kicker is that, unless someone had wedged that clipping in my door, I would have never known.
I’ve been trying to be more regular with blogging since the start of this year. It helps me to process my thoughts when I write them for others to read. However, this weekend I pulled Papa duty (grandparent child care), and I was busy entertaining my granddaughter. I’m not actually sure who entertained who more, but there were lots of laughs and a few adventure excursions to the playground. It’s seems that slides are a favourite. I enjoyed watching her grow in her ability to master steps and slides. I can’t believe how much she has progressed, as she is just 16 months old.
I only have so much energy. Last week was a heavy work week, and a toddler requires a fair bit of energy spend. It came down to the toddler or the blog. I hope I chose wisely. In any event, it gave me something to write about today, just a couple days late. As I was sitting here, trying to decide whether or not to blog today, I received a note through a facebook post from a friend. “Someone somewhere is depending on you to do what God has called you to do”.
Interesting, isn’t it? We impact people all the time through our words and actions – through our life – therefore ALL life holds the potential for meaning and purpose. If I didn’t show up for my granddaughter, she misses out. If my friend had not posted to facebook, I missed out. We will never know that full reach of our life and the scope of our circle of influence. Most days we don’t hear or see where we have had impact. Some days it is there, but we don’t see it. Maybe we are distracted or simply overlook the obvious; the extra in the ordinary — but in other situations the results are beyond our sight, maybe even beyond our lifetime.
I think its important for me to find the evidence of impact that I can so that I am encouraged, but it is also important to remember that I may not always know, but impacts will happen, and the energy is worth it. If impacts were forfeited, because we didn’t invest…and we came to know about THAT…it would be a sad day indeed.
Grace allows us the opportunity to invest freely and without obligation or expectation of reward. Just loving acts of kindness in support of others — with the assurance that the Creator equips, calls, supports and works in all, in ways that we can not even imagine.
How many points of impact can you find in this article? I’ve counted 10:
- The original investment of coaching
- The discussions following coaching
- The communication of impacts
- The writing of a newspaper story
- The clipping wedged in my door
- My time supporting my granddaughter
- My granddaughter bringing me joy by who she is
- My telling of the story
- Someone writing a post for facebook
- Someone reposting so I could see it
Ordinary, everyday events that have meaning and leave lasting impacts…
