Just got an e-mail from my dad and it reminded of what a small world we live in...He was buying some cables at the Source (back in BC, obviously) when the guy ringing through his order asked if he was my dad (I'm assuming something like, 'hey are you Nicole Devereaux's dad?'). First of all that being pretty weird because who just randomly asks someone that and second of all I don't think the guy asking has ever met my dad. Well, it turns out that its this guy Benji who was a couple grades younger than me (I think...) and we knew each other back before he even went to high school (again...I think). His older brother Tim and I were better friends, we knew each other from youth group and we were closer in age. This is all pretty vague memories, and I'm also half asleep, it's only 8am on a Saturday morning. Anyways, so he wants me to e-mail him and get in touch. He'd heard something about me going to Europe and wants to know how I'm doing. Such a small world.
I'm really curious as to how he heard about what I was up to. My guess is Rob...but I don't even know if you know him, or if you do, if you still talk to him. Maybe Aaron...through Rob? Who knows. It just got me wondering, how often do people I don't know think about me? I know I'm personally thinking about other people all the time, always curious what others are up to. And now apparently, some people think of me too-even people that I figured would have long forgotten who I was.
Which gets me thinking about what mark I've left. What do people who knew me think about me, now that our paths don't cross anymore? I can't get the one memory out of my mind from sometime in grade 10 when a girl was in the home ec room with me at THSS and she thanked me for being so nice to her back at Westview...and I had no idea who she was! I'm glad that in that situation I'd left a good impression, and I pray that I've left more positive impressions than negative, but I always wonder-what do people think of me now? And then...what will they say about me when I'm gone? If I keep moving maybe a lot of people I expected to be at my funeral won't even know I'm gone. This isn't meant to be morbid, just thought provoking. What will people say? What kind of life have I led? Is the world a better place for having me in it? I'd like to think so, not to be stuck up, but I'd like to think that God has impacted my life in a real and positive way that I've been in turn been able to pass onto others.
Wow this was meant to be short. I have to run, gonna be late for work!
Love Niki
i bet people will say that you were an awesome woman who made people laugh and was pretty obvious in her love for God, even when it was hard. I personally will just shake me head, roll me eyes and say that you was one crazy chica and we'll miss you. Also, I'd be disappointed about not getting my lettuce from you. But who knows, maybe by then I will have gotten it...
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy when it all comes down to it...it's funny because I go through life being a pretty negative person...I just am...it was the way I was made I suppose (well that's my story and I'm sticking to it...) but if I stanger ever looks in my direction I'll smile because I once read this anonimous letter to I don't even know who...it was more like a story or something...(it's 1am and I've been awake since 6am yesterday after only getting 3 hours sleep if I'm not making sense it's because I'm probably insane.) Anyways...it was from a stranger to a stranger...and it was about how they shared this one glance...and she smiled at him...what he called the most beautiful and heart warming smile...which turned around his whole day. He went out...thinking that that night he was going to kill himself...and he came home happy and willing to give life another chance just because of this one strangers smile. The letter was him thanking her for a new chance at life...maybe I just made that up in the last two minutes because my brain is slowing breaking from the lack of sleep...but I've always like that idea...and thus always make sure I smile extra big for people I don't know...and may never actually talk to. Wow that was probably long and stupid and lacking all kinds of scents, cents, and sceants? Whatever...it's late...I need sleep...and think...think about what I said! (OOOooooOOOOOoooo!)
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