Since this is Thanksgiving week, I want to share a precious story with you, especially because in the busyness of our lives we sometimes forget how little things we do can make a difference. Every day I get about 200-300 email messages, and about 100 of those need some kind of response, so many days I feel completely overwhelmed, simply trying to keep up.
Several years ago, during a crazy busy time for me, I got one of those many email requests from a young woman working on her thesis on “Motivating and Retaining Employees.” She had found me on the internet and since this was my area of expertise, was requesting an interview. Now, honestly, in the tyranny of the urgent, the last thing I wanted to do that week was to spend time talking with someone who was “exploring” ideas and was not critical to my business; in fact, my first, ungenerous thought was to suggest to her to buy my books! So, I flagged the email and went on with my mountain of work.
Later that week my conscience was bothering me, so I finally called this young woman, even then with an attitude of “get through this quickly and get back to the piles on my desk.” Of course, she was delightful, and we had a lovely talk. I sent her several of my books and gave her access to a lot of research and material on my website that I normally do not share. She thanked me, and we both hung up feeling good.
As Paul Harvey would say, “Now for the rest of the story:” Last month I got a call from a young woman who said, “I am sure you do not remember me, but several years ago you helped me with information for my dissertation, and I have never forgotten your kindness. My paper was published and received high praise, thanks in part to your contributions.” She then went on to say that she was now the Executive Director of a large association on the East Coast and was wondering about my availability to be their opening keynote speaker for their annual conference in the spring of 2011. I was blown away that she even remembered me, and now she was offering me an opportunity to speak to her large clients from all over the state!
Oh, my, that call was another one of those “whacks on the side of the head” that caused me to stop and remember that we reap what we sow. How often do we all get buried by the business part of our work and forget those human level interactions that add such fulfillment and joy to our lives? I recently found a quote that touched me deeply: “Beware the barrenness of a busy life,” from Socrates!
In this time of giving thanks, I am so very grateful for the awesome opportunities we have every day to enhance the lives of others. May we all keep making a difference–and remember, good deeds DO pay off! Happy Thanksgiving!
Blessings,
Barbara
