Endings and Flowers for the Living

When we think about making a difference we often think about the grand scheme of things. We think about the end result, the ultimate goal, the destination we are working so hard to reach. The downfall of this way of thinking is that we overlook the small victories that we achieve in the interim. The things we accomplish every year, every month, every week, and every day that really don't seem like that big of a deal. It's usually not until something ends that we consider the impact it has had on us, you don't appreciate the struggle it took to get the work done until the day of graduation. In the same way it's when we lose people that we recognize how much they've meant to us and, if they can, they tell us how much we meant to them. 

There's a saying that goes "give me my flowers while I'm still breathing", I can relate to that saying today. As I prepare to transition from living in one state to another there has been an outpouring of love, support, and well wishes. Some, however, I never expected. People who I've barely had conversations with have come to me and shared memories of times we've shared, things that they noticed about me and admired about my character. I've received messages about the impact I've had on youth who I didn't even think were watching. It's a humbling experience for someone to tell you that they admire you but, unfortunately, most people don't think to share those feelings while you're actually being admired. It's usually when their front row seat to your life is ending that you find out they were watching all along.

Today I encourage you to give your flowers to the living. Tell the people you love that you love them, tell the people you look up to that you admire them, tell the people who inspire you that you're uplifted by the example they set. Don't wait until the final moments to let someone know they've impacted your life because you never know how much more they could have done had they just known that you cared.