Sphere of Influence

Each time I clean my bathroom, I wipe the faucets to a shine and mentally thank a friend from our twenty-something years who planted the idea in my head. I had not thought of it at all, but she loved it when her faucets were pretty and sparkling! Prior to that, when I was eighteen and in college and required to go to chapel daily, I sat behind a girl who was constantly chewing her cuticles. Though I never knew her, I picked up the same (bad) habit. Not too many years ago I sang in choir, altos on the front row, and each Wednesday, Glenn, the bass behind me would ask in a sort of humorous way, “How are you?” elongating the you to a nasal yeew. Another habit learned. I often think of him when I automatically speak a silly yeew at the end of that most frequently asked question. Sometimes a person will tell me something they remember that I have said or done, and I will think…yep, that sounds like me. We all have the potential to impact people's lives in small ways. I wonder if Carol is still keeping her faucets shiny.