Last May I got an email that changed a corner of my life, and that same email could very well change yours.
It was from a former student of mine who said this, in part:
As we move through life we meet LOTS of people and sadly some pass away and all we have are memories of them. I’ve had a few close friends come to the end of their lives recently. Thinking back about people that have touched me I remembered you and your endless support and kindness. Thanks for being so cool!
I’d love to speak to you to say thanks for the great VCU memories!
Do I need to tell you how touched I was by the fact that took the time and effort to say “thank you”? Because I hadn’t seen this guy in decades! For all that time he remembered a simple little English class, and through the current miracle of the interwebs, was able to say “thanks” because, as he said, he had lost a few close friends recently and realized we just don’t have that kind of time to keep putting off thanking people for ways they touched our lives. So he became one of those rare people who actually did that thing.
It took some courage, risking being perceived as a slick salesman or just a garden variety creeper.
But he did it anyway, and I’m so glad he did because I actually remembered him from 36 years ago!
But wait. There’s more.
He inspired me to go looking for people from my own past to thank. I’ll tell you about that in this episode.
And I’m thinking that you, too, might have at least one person from your past (even your recent past) that you need to thank. Find some inspiration to do just that in this week’s episode.
NOTES:
Podcast Episode 31: “Have Yourself an Adventure.” https://jillbaughan.com/2020/10/05/podcast-episode-31-have-yourself-an-adventure/
Carter, Bill and Jeff Kellam, Hosts. The Spirit of Jazz Podcast. https://presbybop.com/spirit-of-jazz-podcast?fbclid=IwAR0LEWq2KzwqERvV8UACIiCJuMvdt7MOHS52GKI11taoxp19tnltuix59
Donovan, Christopher. “Before You Reach Out to That Person from Your Past: 3 Things to Consider.” https://tinybuddha.com/blog/before-you-reach-out-to-that-person-from-your-past-3-things-to-consider/
Kellam, Jeff. Celebration Rock’s Weblog. https://celebrationrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/
Kellam, Jeff. Peace, Grace and Jazz: Expressions of Faith That Swings! https://jeffkellam.wordpress.com
