Gravity

I’m diverting from what I originally planned to write about this week—I’m just not ready to share. Instead, I want to talk about making a difference. How, even when you don’t realize it, you are making an impact in this world.

There’s someone I’ve encountered who has had a huge impact on my life. They don’t even know it. I haven’t yet expressed the immense gratitude I feel toward them, but I hope one day I find the courage to tell them how much they’ve meant to me on my journey through this thing called life.

This person made me feel safe and comfortable. They helped me open up and be myself. In their presence, I feel like I am enough, just as I am. Without saying a word, without even realizing it, they push me to be a better person. They show me that life can be fun, easy, and open. They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.

That’s something new I’ve started doing in my life—borrowing belief. I’ve always gravitated toward amazing people, but now, I make a conscious effort to surround myself with those who encourage and uplift me. And I try to do the same for others. I choose to be around people who are where I want to go and embody what I aspire to be. Just by being in their presence, I push myself to grow. Whether it’s launching my business, getting back into shape, learning body neutrality, or stepping into my confidence—I borrow their belief in me.

And that got me thinking—do I do that for others? Do I make a difference in someone’s life without even realizing it, just as this person has for me? Do I have the same impact on others that these incredible people have on me?

I don’t feel like I do. I just go about my day, being my happy-go-lucky self most of the time. And honestly, that in itself is a big step forward. I’m happy-go-lucky a lot more than I used to be. That’s pretty awesome, right? We live in a world of duality—you can’t have the positive without the negative. Otherwise, how would you recognize the good if you never experienced the bad? And while I still falter at times, I’m so grateful for how far I’ve come.

Now, I sit here wondering—do I affect change in others the way this person has impacted me? Just by being myself? If you think about it, gravity affects everything and everyone simply by existing. So maybe, just by being who you are, you influence those around you.

A Moment of Impact

This train of thought takes me back to a night earlier this winter…

It had been a long time since I spent the night at work due to bad weather, but there I was at the hospital. We didn’t know how the storm would unfold, so I tried to make it an adventure. In my 15 years at Boone Hospital, I’ve had to stay overnight multiple times. But now, I’ve cut back my hours in pharmacy to pursue my passion—helping others one-on-one—and to have more free time for myself. Even though I work less, people still look to me for guidance in the pharmacy, even without a title. And that’s exactly how I want it.

Spending the night at work isn’t my favorite thing, but it was necessary.

The next day, we were short-staffed—not surprising given the conditions. Some of us had stayed overnight, some made it in, but not everyone. It was a long day. I had slept on an air mattress—granted, the best air mattress I’ve ever slept on—but still, it wasn’t my bed. By the end of the shift, exhaustion hit. Normally, I prefer to process my emotions privately, but here I was, at work, overwhelmed. I was angry. I was upset. I was tired. I felt like a three-year-old who just needed a nap, but things still needed to get done.

I texted my work bestie, and she said, “You have to get out of there. You’re done. You’ve put in your time. Go home.”

So, I did.

The roads were still bad, and hardly anyone was out. As I drove down Broadway, away from the hospital, I noticed a woman on the ground struggling to get up, her dog beside her. I could tell she was in trouble. And I knew I couldn’t be the first person to pass her, could I?

My initial thought was, “She’ll be fine, someone will stop.” But then, I asked myself, “If not me, then who?”

I couldn’t stop immediately—it was still snowing, and I was headed downhill. So, I made a U-turn at the next intersection and carefully made my way back. I parked as best I could and, without even putting on my winter boots, walked over to her. Her dog was visibly distressed, and she gripped the leash tightly. My first thought was that she might have broken a hip. Could she even walk? Did she need an ambulance?

I asked if I should call 911. She refused, despite being just blocks away from a hospital. Eventually, she let me take her dog’s leash so she could focus on getting up on her own. She wouldn’t let me lift her—she didn’t want to risk taking me down with her. Once she was on her feet, I walked with her and her dog. We made our way to her home, quite a distance given the weather.

Only one car passed us the entire time. It was late, cold, and most people were tucked safely inside. Had I not stopped, she could have been out there for who knows how long. I never even asked how long she’d been out there—though she alluded to people driving by, ignoring her.

We made small talk. At one point, I thought she told me her name was Gracie, but it turned out that was her dog’s name. I never even learned her name. All I know is that I made a difference that night—just by stopping.

The Power of Showing Up

In the past, I wouldn’t have stopped. I would have been too afraid, questioning myself: “Who do I think I am? How can I help? I’m not anybody. Someone else will come.”

But what if that someone else is supposed to be you?

What if YOU are meant to be the one who makes a difference?

A small act of kindness—a smile, letting someone go ahead in line, bringing lunch to a friend who didn’t have time to meal prep—can mean the world to someone. It reminds me of the overwhelming love I felt on my birthday, just from people being kind and generous.

I never used to believe I could make a difference. I used to be the person who didn’t stop, because I was scared.

But that night, I did make a difference—simply by being present. I never even physically helped her up, yet just being there to hold her dog’s leash, to walk her home, made all the difference.

And you make a difference, too. Just by existing. Did you know that?

You don’t have to do anything extraordinary. You being here is enough.

So, thank you for being you.