My grandfather told me that we have an impact on each other.
The more I thought about it, I couldn’t help but think about how a boat leaves a wake behind it. It causes ripples and affects things around it. When we interact with people, we cause a wake, too.
What do you want your wake to be?
One of my favorite quotes is: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Plato. Think about this quote during your next interaction, and seek to leave a positive wake.
I believe we are on his earth to lift each other up because life is hard enough. Let’s work together, practice teamwork, and leave every interaction a positive one. This concept of leaving a wake is a game changer. Are you lifting people up or pulling them down, when you interact?
Here’s a story to illustrate this point. One of our favorite family activities is to go hiking. Years ago, on one of our hikes, we decided to become “joke trolls.” We stopped people on the trail and said, “Hey! We’re Joke Trolls. You can’t pass unless you tell us a joke.” We did this for years as we went hiking together and had a lot of fun engaging with people on the trails. Many years later, I bought coffee for the person standing in line ahead of me. She had no obligation to talk to me or even thank me, but she stopped me and said, “My family and I were on a hiking trail five years ago, and someone asked me to tell them a joke; was that you?” She went on to say that it was one of the most positive experiences she and her family had ever had and it continues to be a story that they talk about.
This is a small example, but it proves that everyone leaves a wake. Every interaction impacts people, whether positive, negative, or neutral.
If you want to be intentional about the wake you leave, like many Bamboo Farmers I know, here are three tips:
Remember that you leave a wake. Whether it’s a text, call, email, or in-person interaction, you impact others.
Use your imagination to leave positive ripples. If you’re kind to someone, maybe they’ll go home and be kind to their child, and then the child will be kind to the dog, and so forth. One small interaction – like a wake – affects so many other things!
Remember that you are a miracle and that others are too. The chances of you existing are about one in 400 trillion—basically infinity. Be kind to others while you’re here, for we are all miracles!
This post is based on a podcast episode by Greg Bell.
Listen below for the full episode: