I went to a writer’s conference and for the past two days, I have been writing to the people I met and thanking them for making my conference experience a successful one. Part of why I am doing it is I am hoping that the extra contact will help me in the future with networking opportunities, but there’s another part of me that realizes that I wouldn’t be doing it if I wasn’t truly grateful. I am not writing to everyone I met or even all the presenters at the conference. However, I am emailing people that made an impression on me.
I wrote about how God brings people into our lives the past few days. Sometimes the experience only lasts for a split second in the space of a lifetime. Yet that experience can change everything. The ironic part is the experience doesn’t even have to be a positive one. Yesterday, I wrote about how a man’s behavior gave me a massive panic attack on a plane. I am probably never going to see that man again. However, that experience has taught me that as much as I want to be understanding, kind, and forgiving, when I am anxious, it’s difficult. It’s a lifelong struggle to treat others with the love that God gives to me. That experience has taught me to try to live with gratitude for all my interactions with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Even if these people I am emailing never have anything to do with my writing career, they did make my experience special. I should recognize that and spread just a little of God’s love by letting them know that I appreciate them. Maybe it doesn’t make a difference or maybe it will. Even if it doesn’t change their lives at all, next time, I struggle to be a more loving person, maybe just maybe the struggle will be a little easier.
My faith saved me. May God’s peace reside in all of our hearts.
