Impact. It is a strong sounding word. In the music business, many record labels use it to promote new projects. Many of times, a new single, artist, or album (or all of them) come with a sticker on the product saying… “IMPACT date August 18″.
So my ‘IMPACT’ date came today. No, it wasn’t a new product of any sort or anything creative that I have been working on. Rather, my next door neighbor lost a bout to cancer at 77. I did not know him very well, but for the past 10 years we would wave to each other. His wife was who I knew better, but still, not well. My wife and I went to his visitation tonight at a local funeral home. After waiting 45 minutes or so in the chapel and finally greeting his family, his wife, Rachel, hugged both of our necks and teared up. She explained to us that in his last few days, a rerun of a television show that I was performing on came on the TV. As the camera panned around, they caught a glimpse of me. As she pointed to me, she told him… “That is our neighbor”. As she explained, he looked at her and smiled and gave a nod of assurance and approval.
As I type this blog, that lays heavy on my heart. In the last few days of a man being alive… there is an “Impact” for him… and now for me.

So the question is this—Who are you impacting today?! What are you doing that may impact someone else (or generations) in the days to come? I’ve learned that in all you do, in all the interaction you have with people… you NEVER know what impacts someone the most. It may be words that you say, it maybe ‘how’ you say those words, or it maybe an action that you took… but ya know… It may be something so insignificant to you, but made ALL the difference in someone else’s life.
Case in point…the biggest impact for me? Helping my “date” across the street, putting my hand on the small of her back for comfort. Come to find out, as she now tells me, THAT was the biggest impact for her… She is now my wife.

Go make an IMPACT on someone else’s life! It will change both of your lives!