Making a Mark

From Seth Godin’s blog … All you've got, all any of us have are the memories and expectations and changes we've left with others. The concrete impact of our lives and our work is the mark you make on other people. It might be a job you do, a product you make or the way you look someone in the eye. It might be a powerful experience you have on a trip with your dad, or the way you keep a promise.

The experiences you create are the moments that define you. We'll miss you when you're gone, because we will always remember the mark you made on us.

There's a sign on most sports courts encouraging players to only wear sneakers with non-marking soles. I'm not sure there's such a thing in our lives. If you're going to do anything worthy, you're going to leave a mark.

When I think about my life, I think in these terms … what difference am I making and what legacy am I leaving? Like most of us, I have a family, a job and a workplace, friends, interests, a skill set, stuff I own, challenges and opportunities … the trappings of a healthy and happy life. And I mean trappings in a positive way, because all of my life is valuable.

Too I believe all of our lives are valuable, every one. But primarily because we each leave a mark on the world, a mark that is seen in real time and remembered in a depth of memory that can only be measured by a depth of meaning. We have a responsibility do things that are worthy, whether they be large visible things or smaller personal ones that make a difference. That is why God has put us on this spot, at this time.

When I travel, I look at the people in the airport security line, knowing that each has a story and each has meaning. If we watch and listen well, we can learn more about those stories and take in the meaning that each individual provides.  You are going to leave a mark, just as I am … you have the same opportunity we all have, to leave a legacy that outlives you. I pray we recognize our potential, and our responsibility, as we create experiences and moments that define us here and in God’s eyes.