#brushing lives

[luthienne]

Naomi Shihab Nye

[syringavulgaris]

Naomi Shihab Nye, Brushing Lives

[thereadingqueen17]

We brush against people’s lives for a moment or two and never think about how we affect them. Those who don’t register high on our scales of importance are rarely brought to mind when we act, or don’t act. We picture that anything that could fundamentally change someone’s life is so big, that we won’t miss our contribution to it. But the truth is that sometimes, it is the small encounters, the unknown people, who can affect our lives in more ways than those who we hold dearest. We think that we can be hurt more by those who are closest to us, who we love the most. Yet, even the smallest snub by someone we don’t know can cut us to the bone. And just because you count someone else as less significant to your life does not mean that that same view is returned. You may not think that your presence is important to someone, when the reality is that your presence is incredibility important to them. Never count your actions as worthless just because you barely brushed someone’s life.

Brushing Lives: A book of short stories.  By M.L.R.