Ima People Lover. What.

I just gotta say.  I love people.

I love all walks of people.  I love the people that laugh at your jokes.  I love the people that cry your tears with you.  I love people that hold your doors for you.  I love the people that take their time going through a green light because they're on their phone, not paying attention but have the biggest smile on their face during their conversation.  I love the people that grumble the second they wake up and don't stop grumbling until they fall asleep again at night. I love people that let their kids put their groceries on the counter in the checkout lane.  I love the people that drive across town to get the cheaper gas prices.  I love the people that will stand up for their friends, in any situation, no matter how it makes them look in the long run.  I love people that belt out a good 'ole church hymn but can't sing a note.  I love a happy person.  I love a sad person.  I love waitresses.  I love cowboys.  I love librarians, park rangers, politicians, and brain surgeons.

Yes, I love people.

Now, I may not be the person that will meet a stranger and strike up a conversation that lasts 4 hours.  I may not be that person.  (Although, there definitely have been times that I was).  But I definitely am the person that can grab my coffee, sit on a park bench, and watch people--all day long and be completely entertained.  And completely satisfied.

I love that our God is a creative guy.  I love that he made painters and musicians and film directors, athletes, fashionistas, computer-techs, and dancers.

But what I love most about people is how MUCH of an impact EACH PERSON on this Earth really, truly has.

I love it because I understand it.

I fully, wholeheartedly believe, that if every person on this earth knew that he or she had an impact--positive OR negative--in any given situation, that the world would be much different.  I think that if people took the time to care, took the time to really evaluate how much of an impact he or she has, that person would truly feel a significance he can create.  And on the same note, if every person took the time to relay to another person that he or she impacted him, the ripple would continue.

I'm going somewhere here with this, I promise.

I come across and meet a lot of people in my day to day.  Whether it be the grocery store clerk or the mail man, the movie teller or the mechanic, I'm affected by how they act during our 'interaction'.  One small move, one little word can completely reroute my attitude for the next couple minutes.  I could be on cloud nine.  Or I could get totally bummed out.

And whether or not any of us want to admit it, the way other people act around us, truly has an impact on our heart.  It may not affect our entire being or character.  It may not change our outlook on life..... but it may.

I have made it my personal mission to address these scenarios when they happen.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, who am I to tell someone they messed up my day just by the way they acted in the bank over lunch hour?  But who am I NOT to tell someone they MADE my day...

I am taking a challenge in this next year to cover these people in my blog, in entries entitled, "You Could Have".  I want to point out that during one small small second of time, one small gesture that 'you could have' totally blessed me.  or could have totally hurt my feelings.  or totally threw me off the concentration course today.  or totally motivated a new goal.... You Could Have...

These will be your every day people that you meet in your every day life.  They could be in your life for a minute, or in it for a lifetime.  But fact of the matter is, these people have affected me.  And i want them to know, good or bad, that they've made a difference....

So now that I've explained my initiative, stay tuned for the first entry, You Could Have.    Let's see where God wants to take this one.