It isn’t news to us that men/women want to be remembered somehow, some way after they leave this earth. Kings have had monuments built for their final resting places, had their entire staff buried with them to ensure they are cared for, and their beloved pets buried by their sides. Monuments have been erected for our great founding fathers. Authors write books that they hope will inspire, influence and entertain for centuries to come. But the truth is, it’s only the here and now that we can be certain of. Only here and now is our guaranteed opportunity to make a difference.
Recently, while in New York City, I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. Aside from admiring its grandeur and dodging bicyclists, what I felt on that bridge was a since of small attempts by different people to make their mark. Some write and carve their names. Others hang locks on different parts of the bridge with messages. My favorite… “She Said Yes”.
Leaving your mark is a desire that follows each of us through life; whether we want to leave our mark on our children or the world. And when it comes time for retirement that all-important question rises to the surface yet again… “Did I leave my mark?”
Still, no matter what comes at the end of our life, every day that we have on this earth is a chance to do something significant. In today’s social media driven world people are beginning to believe that if what they do doesn’t make the news or go viral on FB, they haven’t made an impact. We see people helping the homeless, videotaping it and uploading it to their social platforms. While they are doing something for the good of mankind they are also looking for the recognition. Their reward isn’t necessarily coming from the selfless action.
Have we lost what it means to make an impact?
The act of leaving your mark on the world doesn’t have to be recognized by the masses. And it doesn’t have to be viral worthy.
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Mother Teresa
A smile to a southern girl like me comes easy, but while in New York I found others to be much sterner and not always willing to return the favor of a friendly glance.
But remember, the mark you leave today is more powerful than you may think. I want to believe that they might smile at the next person they make eye contact with.
We live in a smaller development where everyone knows everyone’s cars and faces. My daughter recently started waving at everyone in our neighborhood. She had read a story about an older man who had lived down the same dirt road all his life, but as new people moved to the area everyone stopped waving. He was telling a friend how much this upset him and his friend asked “Do you still wave?” The old man said “No.” and realized he was part of the problem and could be part of the solution.
So he started waving to everyone without fail. It took some time, but eventually people started waving back. My daughter has seen the same change. Not only do all of the neighbors wave, the school bus driver always has a big smile on her face when she drives down our road and so does the mailman. A simple gesture has turned into something that has uplifted everyone.
Leaving a mark, making a change, having a small hand in doing good… these are the things we should be known and remembered for. Not pyramids, statues, plaques and viral videos. What you do for the people closest to you and the people who cross your path is what will have the greatest impact. You CAN feed a hundred people, but if all you can do today is feed one, then just feed one.
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