You know those seemingly random things that happen to you every single day? The bits and pieces of your life that collectively paint the picture of who you are?
If you look closely and really stop to think about it, you'll see that they aren't actually random at all.
The woman who bumped into your cart at the grocery store because she was trying to keep her toddler from running away:
She needed to run into you so you could smile at her and give her a knowing wink because you've been there.
The co-worker who is struggling with a new project that is outside of her comfort zone:
She needed you to validate her idea in that meeting to boost her confidence so she could feel that she's on the right track.
The friend who's had a rough week with her kids and feels like she's failing at mothering:
She needed you to tell her your story and make her laugh so she can face another day.
Every person you meet in your life is put there for a reason. Even those you only know for a few minutes, or those who were such close friends years ago but not so much anymore.
Sometimes you meet them so they can learn something from you. Other times, it's to teach you something about yourself and possibly even take your life in a completely new direction.
You may never even realize the impact you have on other people's lives. The tiny, seemingly insignificant things you do, the smiles you give others at the grocery store, the door you hold open at the restaurant, the encouraging words you say to your children, the compassion you show to the waiter who's running ragged on a busy Saturday night.
All of that has an impact.
You have the ability to change other people's lives just by the way you react to the situations you are in.
And that's not random at all.
If you really think about, it's kind of amazing that we have that kind of power.
More of us should be aware of it and use it for good.
I'm pretty sure we could change the world if we did.