Ripple Effect

It is 11 am on Friday the 15^th of March, 2024. About an hour ago, I got a call from someone completely unexpected. It was an employee from my former organization. I wondered, ‘Why is she calling me?’ I picked up the call. We exchanged pleasantries. And then she told me why she had called. About a year and a half ago, during my initial months as a new employee, I had a field visit to her centre. I recognised the need for something to be executed which would prove useful and with her support, I developed a training program and that region became the pilot for it.

Cut to a year later, the core team appreciated the initiative and it was implemented across the program. I had to leave the organization before I could see the fruits of our labour. But when she called today, all she had to say to me was thank you for helping her with it and paving the way for better representation of her work when accounted for.

Now, I am not writing this to toot my own horn. This is more of a gratitude to her for making that phone call. She didn’t really have to, but she did. And it made my day. At this very moment, an hour into that phone call, I feel so happy that past Shar took that leap of faith as a nascent social worker to do what she thought was useful, stick to her guns and make it happen.

For all the disorientation and imposter syndrome I have been feeling after starting my PhD studies (that is a story for another day), I really needed this, more than she would ever know. So, this is a thank you to my colleague for making that call and reminding me that no good work goes to waste.

Having said that, my takeaway from this is simple – let people know explicitly when their words and actions have made an impact on you. Time is no bar, neither is distance. If you feel the gratitude in your bones, let them know! Cause you never know how that expression of gratitude would circulate back and give them the courage and faith to carry on and do what they do best. Just as smiling is infectious, gratitude should be too.