By now, I’m sure my readers know that my Catholic faith is very important to me. And, as the number one priority in my life, it’s often the source for a lot of my inspiration, including today’s post…
Yesterday, unless you were completely unplugged or living under a rock, I’m sure you heard the Pope’s news that he will be resigning at the end of the month. I’m not going to lie, this was a shock. Not just to me, but to almost everyone, including prominent church leaders. And to Catholics and non-Catholics around the world, it was a big deal. The last time a Pope resigned was in 1415…600 years ago.
With the news, I was overcome with a range of emotions, as I’m sure a lot were. In fact, as I was listening to a local Catholic radio station on my morning commute, the host commented that she felt like she was losing one of her best friends. I couldn’t agree more. Although I never had the pleasure of being in the Pope’s presence, I connected with him through his teachings, his writings and of course as the leader of my Church – a deep spiritual connection. He was, and is, an inspiration to a lot of people.
But, today’s post isn’t about the Pope’s decision. It’s not even about the Catholic faith. Instead, it’s about the beauty of the human soul, the ability to touch other’s lives. And although I believe the Pope was an incredible leader, and is an incredible human being, you don’t have to be in that kind of position to impact someone’s life.
One of my favorite quotes, from one my favorite authors sums it up beautifully.
We’re put on this planet for that very reason. We’re given the opportunity to touch other people’s lives daily – even if it’s just through a simple smile. And this is a universal message – regardless of your race, religion, gender, personal beliefs , etc. – we all touch other people’s lives simply by existing.
It’s an extraordinary gift. One we’ve all been given.
The question is how we choose to use it…