The beauty of those that touch our hearts, coming and going

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The best part of last week for me was a grand total of about two hours, but consisted of much bigger memories.  I had the opportunity to see two of my favorite people, and rather unexpectedly.

My very first boss for my very first job in my career out of college was a well-timed and memorable mentor.  I learned a lot from him about business, about being a leader, and I will always remember the phrases he would say that would make us laugh and remember him long after we had all moved on to different things.  I had the first opportunity in perhaps eight years to see him, and even better, had the opportunity to tell him in person what an impact he had on the younger version of me.  I had always looked forward to the opportunity to see him once again, and it was a great moment.

I also had the chance to see an old friend, also from the same period in my life, and enjoy a chance to catch up over dinner.  Particularly coming off of a memorable reunion the day before, I could appreciate the time spent with a friend I had not seen in a while.

I was reminded of two things during these encounters last week.  First, true friends are just as much your friend whether it has been two days or two years since you have connected.  I always truly believe this, and I am amazed how things rings true time and again.  Second, I was reminded how important it is to tell others how much they have impacted our lives.  Without knowing, those mentors, teachers, and friends may never realize that the things they do make a difference in anyone's lives.  I hope the fact that I saw my old boss, told him what an impact he had, and that his team has all been so successful in their careers was enough to give him a new perspective on some old memories.

People come and go in our lives, I am just glad they come back from time to time too.