Making a difference

Think of one person whose life you made a difference to in 2012.
What did you gain from this?How will you continue to make a difference in 2013?

What really makes a difference in a person's life? It is easy to point out instances, especially when it comes to dealing with life and death problems that affect you, that you made a difference in some one's life. But other actions done throughout the year made a difference in my life and in an other's. I am thinking of one of my best friends who cheerfully joined me on a near weekly walk for the last ten months of the year. He came out to give me strength, because I actually asked for his support. He obliged. Al became my confidant, my "chaplain", my walking companion.

It was during the first walk that I realized that help is a two way street. He was trying to build up his stamina so he could actually feel confident that he could walk a long distance. He was uncertain of his abilities after dealing with some health issues of his own. He wanted to test his endurance, but do it safely. We walked a little more than half mile, and decided that was enough for the day and returned. The next week, we walked a little further along the road. Eventually, we were going up to three miles on every walk, and now do about four miles almost every week. I think Al is very confident about his endurance now, but he still makes sure someone has a cell phone available, just in case.

What has happened in this relationship was mutually beneficial. I got the support I needed; he answered the challenge of endurance which my walk provided to him. It made a difference for both of us.

I see this kind of mutual support as continuing into the next year. We will try to go further or higher as we do our weekly walk. We will both be challenged and grow in health of mind and body. His confidence will grow even more, and I will reap the benefit of his wise counsel as we go.