How far we travel in life matters far less than those we meet along the way- Anonymous

We meet a lot of people along our life journey hopefully.  Some will prove to be “keepers”  and some, well, some people you just need to forget that you ever had the unpleasant opportunity to cross their paths.  Some will make an instant impact right way, life changing, and for some others you wont realize, perhaps maybe ever, what meeting them meant to you.   The direction of your life might change forever.

Our parents, our siblings, our aunts and uncles, our teachers, friends and co workers touch our lives. Sometimes a chance meeting changes your life big time.  Maybe you will meet your life mate or a new friend.  My husband traveled for business and on one flight that he was not supposed to be on his seatmate on the plane happened to be none other than Mr. Don Mattingly who was our son Dan’s favorite baseball player.  Skip and Don chatted and became friends. Don had invented and patented a baseball bat grip but needed to market it. Skip was retiring and looking forward to a life   spending every waking and sleeping moment meeting my every whim spending his new found time off traveling and relaxing,  but this new opportunity was  somehow more intriguing and so it evolved.  Fast forward and seven years later Skip is president and CEO of Mattingly Sports, and I have worked by his side, theoretically speaking, selling baseball bats and managing customer service “needs” among other things.  So this chance meeting and conversation changed what we thought was the direction of our lives, at least for some point in time, and also introduced us to new  friends who we would not have encountered otherwise.

Don Mattingly #23

Dan Shaw #23

I met a girl years ago when I was starting my first job – we are still holiday card friends.  She still signs her cards to me with “YF ”  for “your friend” and when I get a card or note from her it makes me feel like I am 16 again (theoretically).

There are the people you meet who you know the moment you meet them that they will be in your life forever.   There are some that you wont see for a long time and when you get together and it’s like you were never apart.  There are people I admire and wish I was more like, and there are those that I am glad I am not anything like.  When someone tells me they wish they were more like me I have a difficult time accepting the sentiment but I am glad they feel that way. This morning I found this quote –  ( I “heart” quotes)

In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you, and some will teach you. But most importantly some will  bring out the best in you.

So when I give my speech to the Academy when I receive the award for having met the most awesome people in the world  they better not cue in the music to cut me off too quickly for I have a lot of people to recognize.   So, If I haven’t taken the time to say it recently  I want to thank you for being a part of my life and for bringing out the best in me.

“We’ll be Friends Forever, won’t we, Pooh?’ asked Piglet.
Even longer,’ Pooh answered.”

A. A. Milne- Winnie the Pooh