The Ripple Effect

In the book The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom there is a quote that says, "That there are no random acts. That we are all connected. That you can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind." This quote means quite a bit to me now that I have read the novel. Sometimes I take for granted just the random encounters I have with others without thinking that this might be something that will affect the rest of my life or theirs.  This quote shows that every single thing that happens in my life, big or small, is by design or is all part of God's plan. This is shown in the novel by how certain encounters/events led Eddie to work at Ruby Pier for the remainder of his life. The Captain injuring Eddie’s leg, his dad dying of pneumonia, Marguerite getting in her wreck all impacted Eddie's decision to keep working at Ruby Pier. That in turn, led Eddie to saving the little girl’s life years later.

Although I have not lived for very long, I feel certain that I have already made connections with others that at the time (or even now) I may not have understood the importance. I feel certain that I have taken for granted some of the special moments in my life that I did not realize were the result of my coming into contact with others.  It reminds me of a pebble that is tossed in the water. It may only make a little splash, but the ripple it makes affects so much more.  I may not see how my little act of kindness, which in turns reminds someone else to “pay it forward,” ends up helping or changing another’s life down the road, but just knowing that it is possible means the world to me!