It’s not often that you meet someone who significantly changes your trajectory and has a meaningful impact on your life. Those people are few and far between.

I can tell you that for me, in high school, it was a science teacher. They told me that I was special and made me feel that way, as well as helping me believe in who I was. This was at a time when I didn’t have a lot of belief in myself, was very self-conscious, and a bit shy, too.

That was so moving and important to me.  Someone actually thought that I was cool!

My aunt Penny passed away last week, unable to heal from her injuries after being struck by a motorist on her bicycle. She was also one of those people. Certainly not someone that I valued as much as I should have when she was here, but someone that I think about often now and will for the rest of my life.

She was someone that I truly respected and appreciated.  She was one who lived without judgment.

This has left me thinking about the importance of human interaction and human engagement, the crucial role of support and being truly there for people when they need it, whether you realize it or not. I think what it means to live a life of abundance, success, and truly rooting for others, and then passing on to those values to those around us.

It’s something that we should share with those we care about.

At the end of the day, we only have one life to live, and it’s our choice how we live it. While Penny was not perfect, she chose to live it her way. She chose to support her family, friends, and those that she met – her way. She chose to contribute to charities that were near and dear to her heart because it was important to her.

The lasting impact we can have on those around us may seem small in the moment, but it can be incredibly meaningful. It’s something we should all cherish, value, and strive to replicate. Just like my Aunt Penny chose to do.

So today and all days, I choose to know it, believe it, own it, and share it.

-J.D.