Today’s random musings from my run: I’ve always tried to live a life of, “I may be the only…”.
I’m going to smile at strangers, because I may be the only smile they see today.
I’m going to tell someone when I think they look pretty, because I may be the only kind word they hear today.
I’m going to tell someone how much they mean to me, because I may be the only one who does today.
Notice the end of every sentence there.
Today.
Here’s the thing about TODAY.
It ends. And it’s so damn easy to get lost in your own “today”.
It’s a grand thought. But easily derailed and possibly less impactful.
A rough day at work makes it easy to forget to smile at the cleaning lady coming into your office as you work late. It’s ok. Someone else smiled at her today.
A day where we feel low on ourselves makes it easy to not compliment the stranger with great hair. I wish I looked like her. I’m sure everyone tells her she’s beautiful. She doesn’t need me to.
There are so many variables to today. It’s so easy to let yourself believe, “Nah. I’m not the only.”
But what if I change that to…Maybe I’m the last…
We’ve all been there…in one way or another…that moment of, “This is it. The last straw. If this doesn’t work. I give up.”
We’ve all known that person who struggles, or refuses, to trust…because one person too many betrayed their trust.
We’ve all seen that person who can’t open their heart… because one person too many broke it.
The person who won’t let you see the real them…because one person too many shunned their true self.
The person who…will never believe she’s beautiful because one person too many made her feel ugly….will never believe they’re worthy because one person too many made them feel unworthy…
I could go on and on.
So…what if….instead of living like, “Maybe I’m the only….” (which is easily derailed)…I live like, “Maybe I’m the last…”?
Maybe I’m the last person who’s going to make this person feel unseen…Maybe I’m the last person who’s going to make this person feel ugly…Maybe I’m the last person who’s going to make this person feel unlovable…
Maybe I’m the last straw…and if I am not intentional with this encounter…I’ll be the last person who is given the chance….
…the chance to love them…
…the chance to see them…
….the chance to believe in them…
…the chance to save them.
The thing is, it is a well known fact that depression is severely on the rise. Every day. We all shout about it. Mental health awareness!!! Call me if you need me! Get help! Be aware! Be alert!
But…like today…it’s easy to get sucked into our own lives and assume someone else has it covered. But…
“Maybe I’m the last…”
It has a different ring to it, right? It takes away the assumption of “tomorrow”.
So. That’s my new mantra.
I never want to be anyone’s last straw…but if I live believing, “I need to be intentional in every interaction…I need to uplift, show kindness, give grace and make them believe…because if I don’t….maybe I’m the last.”…
Maybe I’m the last person who will have a chance to show this person that they matter…
…if everyone lived believing that…
Then maybe there will never be a last.
*Jazz Hands* Mom 
I started doing something similar to this a while back (though I no longer have a blog to announce it to the world…), and it’s been interesting to see how people react. Some things I’ve noticed:
1. People I see semi-regularly (like waitresses at local lunch spots) have become like family. They’ve opened up and we’ve built fun little friendships. Some of the younger ones (around my daughter’s age) are like extra kids for me. It makes Christmas shopping a bit more complex, but it’s fun.
2. Some people just don’t know how to respond, and I get a little bit of a kick out of watching them figure out if they’re on a hidden camera TV show.
3. You shouldn’t do it for this reason, but sometimes it gets me discounts. I went into Auto Zone the other day to buy headlight bulbs for my truck, and I could tell the lady was having a rough day. So I was just chatty and nice and told her I appreciated her saving me time by helping me find the right bulb…very simple interaction, but she responded by giving me some special $7 off coupon she had behind the counter. So being nice saved me $7 this weekend. (But, seriously, don’t be the person who does it for that reason.)
LikeLiked by 1 person