Sunday, September 25, 2011

One person can change the world

One person can change the world for at least one person.

My Great Aunt Dot passed away while I was in India and I found out when I got home. She lived in California and I first met her when I was in middle school and she and my Great Uncle Hank came to Michigan to visit family. In 11th grade, my cousin Heather and I got on an airplane (my first ever flight) and flew to California to visit my Grandma & Grandpa Kerr and Aunt Dot & Uncle Hank who lived nearby. Aunt Dot was a spunky woman - very smart in business and very proper. I'll never forget the night we got back from Disney Land and went out to eat and I was tired and put my head down on the table at the restaurant and she scolded me and told me it was not acceptable to do so nor to have my elbows on the table. I hated being scolded and wanted to cry right then and there but I held it in and sat up straight and removed my head and arms from the table. Aunt Dot intimidated me but I also respected her and admired her. I loved her straightforwardness and admired how she also spoke her mind. She was a strong woman. Towards the end of the trip she pulled me aside and asked me about my future plans. I told her that I wanted to go to college and she told me that her and Uncle Hank would gladly help me pay for it. She said that she knew my parents couldn't afford to send me and she believed I had a bright future and didn't want me to not be able to go because of money. She told me to work hard and do well in school and when the time came, to give her a call and she would help me. I was honored with such an offer. I didn't quite know what to say but I can tell you what a difference in makes in a life to know someone you respect believes in you and sees a bright future in you. It motivated me even more to do well.

My first two years of college, I was determined that I could pay for it myself. Even though she offered, I felt awkward asking. So I worked a job waitressing and paid for the first two years of community college myself, along with some great grant money that helped with tuition. When I got to my 3rd and 4th year at a different, way more expensive school - I realized about 2 months into it that I wouldn't be able to swing the cost myself and I had to swallow my pride and call Aunt Dot. It was one of the most humbling, hardest things I've ever had to do. She didn't hesitate. She asked me to send her a document of how much everything cost, how often payments were due and how much housing was and she then got back to me with how much they were willing to help with. I told her I was going to try and pay for as much of it as I could too and I also had a lot of financial aid which was a huge help. With her help, I graduated with a bachelor degree from a private art school and only had to take out $7000 in loans. What a blessing. I made sure to write thank you cards as often as possible and I felt like I couldn't quite say enough how much I appreciated their help.

After college, I went out to California for a week to visit while my Grandma Kerr was out there staying with Aunt Dot and Uncle Hank. It was a sweet time with them and I'm so glad that I went. To be able to go and thank her and Uncle Hank in person is something I would have regretted had I not gone. Now both her and my Uncle Hank have left this earth. And yet, the impact of their help and not just the financial aspect of it - but just the confidence it gave me early on to know they were willing to help - lives on. When I graduated college, I called and asked about paying them back. I was fully prepared to pay every penny back and wanted to talk about a payment plan. Instead, Aunt Dot told me that her and Uncle Hank didn't want me to pay them back - they wanted me to help someone else someday and that would be payment enough. WOW! I was blown away and if I recall correctly, I started crying and saying of course, I would gladly help someone else.

So here I am, 13 years after college and a little over a week after my dear Aunt Dot has passed away and I'm thinking about all the people who have changed my life. I'm reading two books right now - The Blessing and True Religion. I feel like I received a huge blessing from Aunt Dot - in the words that said "you have a bright future and we will gladly help you. We believe in you." In True Religion it talks about changing the world for one. You start with one and there's no telling the impact. I truly hope that I can not only change the world for one but for many. I think about the kids I've sponsored through Compassion and this little boy that I'm praying that I get to adopt - it's not a stretch for me to help others. It's who I am and what I love to do. Maybe a huge part of why is because of what Aunt Dot showed me by helping me. Give your life, your money, your talents and your resources away and it will not return void. The Lord will honor your gifts. And there's no better feeling in the world than knowing you partnered with Jesus to help somebody else. I have no doubt that Aunt Dot felt that same joy in helping me and I am truly thankful. She was truly an amazing woman and I'm sad that she's gone but at the same time, I rejoice because she is now with Jesus and her body is no longer plagued with cancer or pain. She's free and I picture her dancing with Jesus. And I hope that no matter what I do in this life, I live it in a way that would have made her proud of me and glad to have invested into my life.

You never know what kind of difference you can make in someone's life by the words that you speak or the finances or help that you give. We can all change the world for one.

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