“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
I’m constantly worried about living my life in such a way that makes a good impression on the world. I want to be someone who contributes to the goodness in the world. I want to spend the short time I have on earth doing things that are worth while and make a difference to those I spend time with.
I have good intentions, but I don’t always do or say the right thing. I often regret the way I handle certain situations. I’m impatient, I can be short tempered, I am highly irritable and I can be quite the know-it-all. All of these personality defects can make me feel like a failure when all I’m trying to do is be a good person.
I learned an invaluable lesson this week. One of my dearest friends passed away. I only knew him for a few years of his short life, but I think I knew him pretty well. He was boisterous, loud, witty, sincere, brutally honest, dramatic, hilarious, emotional, compassionate, warm, spontaneous, eccentric and so many more things that made him one of a kind. He was an imperfect person, just like me, but he left his mark on the world just by being him. He made no apologies for who he was he just lived the way he wanted to live, sometimes his life was good and sometimes it was bad, but he made a difference in the lives around him by simply being in their presence. I pray that I am able to hold on to the memories that I have with him, but even if I forget every word he ever said, I will never forget the way he made me feel.
His death, while incredibly tragic, has taught me not to be so critical of myself and the things that I say and do. It is not important for me to try to perfect my behavior, but instead to be true to myself. If I have a good heart, it will shine through whether I do things the “right” or “wrong” way. If I make just one person feel loved, like he did for so many, that will be enough for me.
I believe that God places certain people in your life for specific purposes. When you lose people you care about, you may feel cheated, but it is important to consider what they were there for. How did they impact your life? How has your character benefited from their influence?
My friend was not in my life for very long, but he undoubtedly made an unforgettable and lasting impact and his presence in my life will be felt forever. I am so grateful that God blessed me by placing him in my life and I think everyone who had the chance to know him would agree, he was a one of a kind angel who lit up the room wherever he went.
If I can live my life in such a way that reflects not on the person that I have tried to be but who God has made me to be, I will be happy.
If you are the type of person who, like me, is always striving for perfection and inevitably falling short, I encourage you to let go of perfection and let the true essence of you shine through (I swear I didn’t mean for that to rhyme ;/) If you want to make a difference in the world, be kind, be loving, be uniquely you and never let the evil of this world get you down for too long.
This post is dedicated in loving memory to the late and very great Sir Reagan Allen, may he rest in peace in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“Just to see you smile, I’d do anything that you wanted me to. When all is said and done I’d never count the cost it’s worth all thats lost, just to see you smile.”
