When an artist dies, their work increases
in value. When loved ones pass away, we acknowledge their value and we mourn
their loss—we talk freely and openly about how much we loved them and about all
of the ways they made a difference.
If our lives are ultimately going to be
recognized as having so much value and importance and significance, why can it
be so hard to see our own value, importance and significance here when we are
alive? I have struggled in this area, and I know I’m not the only one.
We don’t really know
the kind of impact we are having on the world today; we can’t know. We just
don’t get the feedback from everyone we have impacted, inspired and helped, and
we will never know our full impact. We won’t hear all the things we mean to all
the people we mean something to, and know about all the times we made a
difference in someone’s life, just like we won’t hear our own eulogies.
Most people don’t tell
those they love just how much they love them, all the time. We just don’t do
this as often as we should and maybe we can’t really express the depth and
complexity of what loved ones mean to us, especially directly to them, and not
on a regular basis. People (in general) tend to be critical, especially through
social media, and often talk about the things that they don’t like and don’t
spend enough time talking about the things they do like and appreciate about
people.
You have no idea how
many times you have encountered a person and said or done something that has
stuck with them forever as an inspiration. I have encountered countless
strangers who have impacted me in this way. They have come in the form of comments
from customers when I worked at a grocery store, or comments from employees at
counters where I was the customer, or the person who said something funny and
made me laugh, or the elderly who are looking back more than looking ahead in
their lives and want to bestow all their wisdom on younger generations.
These are not even
necessarily planned interactions or rehearsed comments; they are simple
statements, actions and gestures that we do without really thinking about them,
going about our lives and being ourselves, but they matter.
We are living and
moving and growing, every part of every day, incorporating ourselves in
countless ways into our communities and the world, and people notice what we do
or don’t do. They may not tell you about it, but it doesn’t mean you aren’t
inspiring your loved ones as you go about your life. I remember a lot of things
my family and friends have said to me or have done throughout my life that have
inspired me as well. We don’t always say it, but love and motivation to action
are often born in these conversations and moments and encounters.
If you ever feel
unseen, overlooked, unimportant or undervalued, please remember that the value
that others place on you isn’t always equal to what is expressed back to you.
Your value isn’t equal to others’ perceived value of you. Your value isn’t
equal to your own perceived value of yourself. Your value is exactly equal to
the value that God placed on you when He made you. He definitely thinks you are
important; He definitely thinks that you matter.
The world wouldn’t be
exactly the same without you. Everyone who has lived and is now gone is
missed—we all ache for those we have lost—every day. So don’t for a second
question your value and your importance.
We may never know how and to what extent we
inspire the world and how much we matter to others because of the fact that we
can’t and don’t always share exactly how others make us feel. We can’t go back
in time and locate strangers who said something we will never forget and tell
them how it helped us. The opportunities don’t always arise and it can be hard
to summon the courage to say these kinds of things.
But you know what? You can be bold. In any
way possible, tell people today, right now, on the green side of the sod, if they
said something or did something that you appreciate. Take any and every
opportunity to show appreciation for people and reinforce how much they matter.
This we can do. Perhaps we can begin to recognize our own value and place in
this world as we recognize and appreciate the importance of those around us.
