Touch someone's life

You know those people you lost contact with but still see around every now and again? How about the guy you see sitting by himself at luch everyday?

Those grey areas the relationships caught in limbo the personyouknowbutnotreallybutstillwave toandsometimestalk or the person whousedtobemyfriendbutIhaven'ttalkedtoherinalongtimeandIdon'tknowifitwouldbeweirdtotalktoheragain are confusing.

Just yesterday I was standing outside the school a woman, I think she's a teacher, walked past me intensely, with her head and eyes locked firmly on the ground. I was tempted to say hello, to tell her to have a good evening. But I didn't. I stood there for sometime thinking about the possibilites of what I could have said to her. I thought about how she might have responded. I thought about what I could have said may have impacted her, even if just a little, or maybe not. I felt cold inside after she walked by. I said a prayer for her asking God to give her a drive home with lots of green lights and a happy evening at home with her family.

I was really disappointed earlier this year when I realized that I conscioulsy avoided talking to people who used to be my best friends. Friends I'd tell my deepest secrets and giggle about boys and inside jokes. Since my realization I've started to smile, to wave in the hallways, to talk, even if it's just to ask the homework. And we've grown to be friends again. Nothing like what we were. Because we've both changed, and it's okay, we're just not as compatible as we once were. But it's nice to know that there are good feelings between us, even if they go no further than our little catch-up chats and smiles in the hallway.

I kid you not, I'm on a first-name basis with several of the custodians at our school. You know who I mean -- the pair of best friends that go around together laughing all the time. They're hilarious. I don't remember how I really got to know them, it was a gradual thing that just sorta happened. I'd see them as I was leaving and I'd smile politely, then I'd wave every so often, I'd ask how they were doing, how their weekend or break went. I still see them both almost every day, greeted with Sharon's familiar "Hey girl heyyyy!" I smile just thinking about it -- she is something else.

I've also started to strike up conversations with people who have lockers near mine. I don't know that I really had a particular reason for doing it other than for its own sake. I wanted to brighten their day, I wanted someone to talk to. I think they appreciate it. I know I like it when people say hi to me. It's a wondeful feeling, to be acknowledged, to be appreciated for simply being somewhere. It's nice. I'm meeting new people and keeping casually in touch with some old. I love seeing how people's eyes light up and smiles brighten their faces. I love seeing people happy because inside I feel happy too.

So I say hi. No matter how unlikely, I can always hope that somehow in someway I've made some difference, even if it was only a smiling face in the hall or a friendly hello at their locker, because I know, that no matter to what degree, they've made a difference in mine in one way or another.

I encourage you to think about your actions and your words because they truly are so much more powerful than we realize. I encourage you to be bold and reach out. I encourage you to touch someone else's life. Because wondering what could have been is worthless.