A few of my teachers coined the same phrase as I was moving into elementary school and then middle school and high school and it always started with "When you're old, you'll look back one day and see how certain people at certain times in your life arrived for a reason..."

Perhaps I'm becoming more nostalgic with time or perhaps collecting stories has allowed me to reflect on my last 28 years of life and begin to really see the arrival of certain people at just the right time. 

They say that as you travel through life, you will begin to eventually see how certain people weave in and out of the tapestries of our stories. Sometimes they may stay for a short while but still tremendously impact who we are as people. Lately, I have tried to be intentional about reflecting with a cup of tea before bed and really thinking about how people and places have connected over time and left fragments of their soul within my heart and my very being. 

And I can say with sincere honesty that every relationship (good and bad) has left a powerful message that I have carried with me or that has changed me in some way. But then I begin to realize those words that were spoken to me throughout my life that are unforgettable and those small nuances that (thought I don't always realize) are small trinkets taken from some of my favorite beings, teachers and life mentors like

- the time my band teacher in middle school wrote "your quiet type of leadership is the best kind" and I now say that within the cards of my students who shine their light bright but walk humbly...I still remember the day I opened my yearbook and found those words written in cursive, and I said them over and over again to myself. I bet that teacher never knew the impact those words would have on my life. Words are beautiful and powerful. 

- or the smiley faces I make on tests because one of my favorite math teachers used to do the same and the joy felt through that smiley face was so tangible and so real

- or the time I cried for the very first time out of the loss of a true friend who made a profound impact on my life despite only being friends for 6 months. It was only because of her leaving that I was able to become the student of one of my most beloved mentors and forever flute teacher who taught me more about life than I could ever say and who joined me ten years later when I was married to my best friend

- the purple I use to mark papers instead of red is no doubt because my favorite color is purple but also because I remember the ink, unmistakable all-caps font that marked the letters of my grandfather's brother we used to get in the mail

- the way I joke around with students is probably a combination of every witty teacher I ever had who did the same

- and the very first time I truly felt an actual shift within my heart when I heard the trumpets warm up for the first time as an incoming freshman in high school and then the sound of music reprise in the morning, on the turf with a college band I would eventually become a part of after transferring from a school that simply didn't speak to my soul

- And then connecting with a church and a mission that contributes to a large part of my identity which ironically I heard about whilst at the college I eventually transferred from

- And a leader I just collected a story from.. who took a chance on me and allowed me to teach 8th grade writing for one beautiful summer where this revealed my passion for teaching and writing but also middle school students and social justice and compassion and kindness...and as I continue on my journey through education I find myself spending all my extra time with middle schoolers either through volunteering or extracurriculars...who would have thought

You may say it is luck or good fortune. You may say that anyone could say that these "connections" are meaningful. But they are. I don't need to be convinced that this is all happenstance because it isn't. Threads exist to create positive change, to alter people's perspectives and to allow you to grow into a more beautiful being. 

Yes I am unique and yes I am me. But we are the collection of stories we experience every day. We are the collection of words that have been spoken to us, the hugs that have been given and the ideas that have been shared with us. Just because time passes quickly doesn't mean there isn't enough time to find those woven threads. Relationships, mentors, even brief encounters are blessings. Every single one of them.