Influence

I had an experience yesterday that reminded me of how important it is to always live your life with integrity and strive to live your best life.  You never know who is watching and listening and what they will remember about you.  And you may never understand the influence you have on others -- whether good or bad.

I had a rare doctor's appointment yesterday.  In chatting with the medical assistant, she brought up that she had remembered something I said at my first visit to that doctor's office -- over a decade ago.  Apparently, what I had said years ago had an impact on her. 

She related what I had told her all those years ago, and how it affected her.  I didn't even remember saying it.  Although it certainly sounds like something I would have said.  :-) 

But it got me thinking that things that we don't even remember saying or doing can have a big impact on someone else's life.  We don't often realize the power and influence we have on others.  A seemingly small act or word that we say or do may have a large impact on someone else.

Do we live our lives in such a way that our influence is positive and good?  Or do our choices affect others negatively?  Do we buoy and lift others up?  Or do our actions, words, and choices drag others down?

Whether we realize it or not, people are watching and listening and learning from us.  Does our example teach others to be better or worse?  Do we influence others for good or bad?  

I hope we can all look back on our lives and be content with our choices and realize that we did the best we could in striving to live a good, righteous, Christlike life.  A life that had a positive impact and influence on others.

Always remember that our choices, our behavior, our words, and our lives not only affect ourselves, but often times have a great influence on others.

That's my two cents.