Lasting Impressions

I think it's totes funny/peculiar/interesting how there are certain things that stick in your memory of things people have said to you or have done for you. There are also those memories that make you think of a loved one and make you crumble. Just this week, when i was picking up my car in fact, something the finance guy said to me about the trauma and death side of the insurance made me think of loved ones who have passed away and right there and then i nearly cracked it and broke down in tears, i held my composure but just those little RANDOM things that flick a switch and make you remember.

Sometimes a memory that you have is stuck in your head for absolutely no reason whatsoever. I've been thinking of a few things recently and i wanted to share a few with you.

1. Shanon Hawkesworth, an American friend of mine, was sitting with me during a church service one Sunday in the Sacramento Salvo Citadel and during the offering she leaned in close to my ear and whispered to me, 'can you please stay here?'. It's a memory i'll always remember and cherish because it showed me just how much she valued our friendship. If there was EVER a reason to stay in The Salvation Army, this memory in this moment would've been it! Needless to say it broke my heart that I couldn't stay and that was the actual day I was flying back to Australia!

2. I think the year was 1996 or 1997 and I was staying overnight or for the weekend at Alyson (then) Lucas' house. I'm not sure what it was for, maybe it was for the 'Guys and Dolls' thing we did (what in the heck was that anyways?????) but the actual memory was the first time i'd ever been introduced to 'the internet'. She introduced me not only to the internet but also to ICQ, my very first experience with the internet and with Messenging programs. I was entralled, obsessed even, and now it is a fully blown addiction. Thank you Alyson. Not sure if that's sarcastic or sincere haha!

3. At camp, the dirtiest, smelliest, sweatiest place for a staff member to be and I remember someone brushing a single strand of hair off my face, looking deep into my eyes and then apologising without knowing why they'd done it. I don't know why i remember that, but it's a memory i will always treasure! It was kinda like an act of Jesus, you know, with the washing of the feet thing. I was sweaty and dirty and yet they still took a few moments out to tuck away my messy hair. hehe...

I think the most prominent memories will always be something that someone has done for you. I always seem to remember something randomly nice that someone has done or said.

I suppose the challenge for me, is to make that kind of impression on someone else.