You may never see where the ripples of your story reach, but that doesn't mean they stop traveling.
During my recent Walking with Grief backpacking retreat in the Adirondacks, we were blessed with a couple of incredibly clear nights.
And when I say clear, I mean STARS EVERYWHERE!
Without the lights of civilization competing for attention, the Milky Way stretched across the sky. It was breathtaking.
I remember sitting there, staring up into what felt like infinity, and something shifted inside me.
All those things I'd been worrying about? The problems that had been taking up so much space in my head?
Suddenly, they seemed so small.
Not because they weren't real. Not because they didn't matter.
But because I was reminded of just how vast the Universe really is.
There I was, one tiny human being, sitting beneath billions of stars, realizing that maybe I didn't need to have everything figured out.
Maybe I could simply trust that everything was going to be just fine.
When I got home, I was telling a friend about the experience. I shared how looking up at those stars had helped me put things into perspective.
It was a beautiful conversation. And honestly, I didn't think much more about it.
Until later that week.
My friend told me she'd had an upsetting incident with her veterinarian. She could feel herself getting worked up, frustrated, and caught up in the situation.
And then something happened.
She remembered the stars.
MY stars!
Well, not technically mine. The Universe is pretty generous about sharing. 😂
She remembered our conversation and how small our problems can feel when we consider the vastness of everything around us.
She asked me to send her the pictures I'd taken so she could look at them whenever she needed that reminder.
And THAT got me thinking.
I had an experience in the woods. I shared it with a friend. And days later, when I wasn't even there, that experience helped her change how she was responding to something happening in her own life.
That's the power of telling our stories.
We often underestimate the impact we have on other people. We think our experiences are just that. OUR experiences.
But what if something you've learned, something you've survived, or even something you've noticed could be exactly what someone else needs to hear?
Think about dropping a single drop of water into a still pond. The drop may be tiny, but the ripples travel far beyond where it first touched the surface.
Your words work the same way.
A conversation. A story. A moment of vulnerability. A different perspective.
You may never know how far those ripples travel or whose life they touch.
You don't have to change the entire world to make a difference in it. Sometimes all you have to do is share something that changed YOU. And let the ripples do their thing.
Be the change. Share your story.
You never know who might need to hear it.
Try this Simple Practice: Three Steps to Share Your Story
Step 1: Remember a shift. Remember a moment that shifted your perspective. It could be a conversation, a walk in nature, or something someone said.
Step 2: Share it with one person. Share your story with one person. Don't try to teach or convince; simply share what it meant to you.
Step 3: Release the outcome. Release the outcome. Trust that the words may land when someone needs them.
When life feels overwhelming, go outside, look up, and remember that the Universe is much bigger than this moment.
You may never see where the ripples of your story reach, but that doesn't mean they stop traveling.
You Don't Have to Suffer Alone,
Jason
New episode! Listen to Hope for Grief, my conversation with Rita De Michele on the Beyond Diagnosis Podcast.