Footprints on our Hearts

I've already written about my thoughts on the concept of "everything happens for a reason", but I wanted to expand on one aspect of that and talk specifically about people. The people that come into our lives at different times and through different avenues, and change who we are, how we view the world, and/or how we feel about ourselves.

There's a quote I remember reading back in high school and it's stuck with me all the years since:

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same."


As I've grown up and changed careers, relationships, and states, I've reflected on this quote many times and for many different people. It seems more than just by chance that certain women and men have entered my life at certain times. Some stayed and continue to stay in my life, others were there for short periods of a few weeks, months, or years. Regardless of time, those people impacted my life in profound ways and I'm convinced I wouldn't be the person I am today without them.

Advisors and staff members in college, supervisors at work, graduate school classmates, colleagues in my field, friends (and sometimes enemies) from all parts of life, family members, etc - for so many I can pinpoint what I learned from them, what they brought to my life, and, in some cases, what I brought to theirs.

A few weeks ago someone I'm close with put out a challenge to friends to send a thank you note to a person or persons that impacted his/her life in some way but perhaps didn't know how significant that impact was. It was an out-of-the-blue challenge, but timely in its own way. I appreciated the thought put in to it and reflection it required on my part to discern whom to send the note. I ultimately decided on an early supervisor of mine. She taught me much more than I realized at the time and, to this day, has been the only direct female supervisor I've had (sad, but true). It felt good to sit down and write that note, one because it enabled me to truly articulate all that I learned in those two short years, but two because of the hope I had for the surprise and warmth she might feel as she read that card and heard what an impact she had on someone.

In the example of that supervisor, and in so many other examples, I know that people are placed into our lives for specific reasons, at specific times. I could go on and on, listing off person after person, at least from the past 15 years, who has impacted me in a significant way, and I'm certain you could do the same. Who are those people in your life? What did they do to change you? How are you a different person because of them? What would your life be like without their influence on it at that point in time? Do they know what they've meant to you?

It's important to point out that not all of these pivotal people came into our lives for good reasons. Some caused us frustration, anger, resentment, and distrust, but regardless of the challenges, they still taught us something and contributed in some way to the people we are today. It's often these "difficult" individuals that have had a bigger effect on us than others, as they've given us life lessons on what not to do next time or how to handle something differently in the future.

I've been fortunate to have several people enter my life at crucial moments over the years and each has blessed me with lessons, joys, humor, hope, kindness, compassion, and love. I'm thankful for each and every one of them and hope I've done my part to communicate that to them in some way. I hope you'll take the chance to think back on who those people are for you and do something to let them know your gratitude and appreciation.

Be happy for who you are. Be grateful for what you have.