Well, readers, I just found a spot at the Library and have settled in for a long night. Tomorrow I go home, and I’m not sure I can process leaving Hope yet with the many things I have to do yet! (a.k.a. lots and LOTS of packing)
As I’m sitting here studying, I’m thinking about one thing: next semester when I study abroad in Ireland I won’t see some of the people on Hope’s campus ever again. Wow! This makes me so sad and regretful that I didn’t get to know these people more while I had the chance. Admittedly, it’s not characteristic for me to be so sentimental about missing people I barely know, but if you truly think about it, those people you pass on the sidewalk everyday are people you’ve done life with for the past semester, whether you’ve noticed it or not.
Truthfully, you’ve all probably influenced these people in some way or another, and that has me thinking about a TED talk that I watched once. Take a gander:
Pretty cool, right? Pretty crazy, too. The fact that we influence people in unexpected ways is so important to hear and so important to know about ourselves.
So here’s what I’m going to do, readers: I’m going to give little shoutouts to the people I don’t explicitly know that have really, truly influenced me in big ways this semester. Even if they don’t end up seeing this, I’m glad you’re reading it so that you know that you can influence someone in small ways too, just by being yourself. Here it goes.
To the guy that sits behind me in my 12 p.m. Religion class, thank you for being genuine and involved in every class. You are full of valuable information and have taught me that to be respectful is to be present in conversation. You’ve inspired me to use my voice and be authentic with those around me. Thank you.
To the people who sit in front of me at Chapel, specifically the girl in the second row, thank you for shamelessly raising your hands in worship. You taught me to worship God shamelessly and with joy. You are an extraordinary person, and I see God clearer because of you. Thank you.
To my English professors that simply asked me “What grade do you think you deserve?” thank you for holding me accountable for my performance in your class, and thank you for hearing my ideas out, even when they were crazy and wild. Thank you for telling me what I wrote and thought was important.
Lastly, thank you to each and every one of you that reads this blog. You’ve influenced me in more ways than you know. Your support and encouragement are inspiring and truly influential in my time here at Hope.
Keep being yourselves, readers, and know that somewhere, at some point in your life, you’ve influenced someone.
Look out for more blogs next semester that’ll come your way straight from Ireland, and enjoy the rest of this beautiful Christmas season!
Until next semester!