Life is All About the People We Meet

I originally created this blog in 2016 to show appreciation to those who impacted my first 25 years of life and to show my gratitude to God for placing the right people in my life at the appropriate time, though I did not always realize this during some of those moments. And in the year and a half since I began the project, I have had the pleasure of interacting with and getting to know even more people who have impacted my life for the better.
I have met amazing people in my lifetime- some I have known since birth while others I only interacted with for a few minutes. I am convinced that I would not be where I am today if not for each of those individuals with whom I crossed paths. My early life experiences have reinforced how vital and valuable real relationships are and you never know from where they will stem. In my research and reflection, I have found that many times people do not realize the true impact they have had on someone’s life until it is too late- the tradition is to thank them at their funeral. In the words of one artist “people never get their flowers while they can still smell them”. I want to change that.
I challenge you to use this page as a platform to share some of the people who have made those lasting impacts on your life. Perhaps the most important part of this project is a challenge as much for me as for you: write a letter to those people who have impacted you (your “impactors”) and tell them thank you. Lastly, I am truly curious as to what your thoughts are and what happens when you reach out to thank your impactors. If you feel so inclined, please share your experiences- after all, we are all experiencing this life together and perhaps we have some common impactors.  
There’s a saying: be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. Here’s my modified version: be kind and open, the people you meet may change your life forever.
-David A. Brown-Dawson, 17 Aug 17