Really? I thought, really, did I just hear what I think I heard? I had to sit up straight and pay extra close attention. During a meeting I recently attended, a man I have respected for many years — a leader and founder of one of America’s most beloved and admired companies — recounted how he reflected on his life during a recent hospital stay. He asked himself this question: Has my life really made a difference? He finally concluded it had, but not first without some serious soul searching, sweat and tears.
If this individual well known for his philanthropic work — giving huge sums of money and extraordinary amounts of time to help well-deserving nonprofits and people in need — went through this internal struggle before satisfactorily answering one of life’s most significant queries, how much more might common folk like myself struggle with honestly answering this question? And so his inquiry made me ponder my own life and its impact, and I’ve concluded thinking about this matter and answering it honestly is a good exercise for every person to go through. No matter how painful the examination of one’s life might be, at least once per year this is a question with which everyone should wrestle.
Even as I write these words, I’m trying to figure out exactly how my life has made a difference and how it might in the future, and I encourage you to do the same. We can’t do much about the past, but today is a world of potential just waiting to be tapped. As author Kay Lyons stated, “Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is the only cash you have, so spend it wisely.”
Your life and mine have favorably impacted far more lives than we’ll ever know this side of eternity. There is an untold number of smiles we’ve shared, encouraging words or random acts of kindness we’ve freely given that are still making positive ripple effects in the lives of others. If you ever find yourself wondering, Has my life made a difference and how might I make my remaining years count most?, I leave you with these thoughts:
- Enjoy the small things — It’s been said we should enjoy the little things because one day we may look back and realize they were the big things. A talk with a neighbor, a walk with a child, a conversation with a stranger, all these things may seem insignificant at first glance but each has the power to change and transform lives. I remember once asking a teenager from a broken home, one who had endured many difficulties in her life, who she considered her favorite teacher throughout her years in school. She said it was a substitute teacher she knew for only a few days. I was puzzled how someone who she hardly knew could have made such a big impact. She responded, “He told me I could accomplish nearly anything I set my mind to.”
- It really is about our attitude — Motivational guru Zig Ziglar said, “Success and happiness are not matters of chance but choice.” And Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, Viktor E. Frankl, stated, “Our greatest freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude.” Decide to make your life count daily, in big ways and small, and one day you’ll look back and smile realizing what a positive impact you had on so many.
- Never tire of doing good — Scripture’s greatest command says we are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul and mind, and the second greatest thing we are called to do is to love our neighbor as ourself. At times, our care and love won’t seem appreciated, noticed or make any kind of difference; keep caring and loving anyway. It’s been said the best way to get over the doldrums or the feeling of insignificance is to get up, close the door behind you and find someone else to help.
This company leader’s life has really made a difference. Can we say the same for our lives? And can our lives make an even greater impact in the days to come? Most certainly. You bet. Really!
Brian Horner is the Gulf Coast Division director of Marketplace Chaplains USA, which is an organization that provides workplace chaplains to corporate America. This employee-care program serves employees and their family members 24/7.
For more information, visit www.mchapusa.com or call (800) 775-7657.
