At a recent memorial service, among the many personal tributes from close friends and family, a simple note of thanks from a young man who had met the deceased but once  stood out.  He wrote that when he was just starting out professionally, the encouragement and perspective he had received from their one meeting, had changed the way he thought about himself and his possibilities.  It had made all the difference.

Two lessons are evident from that note.  The first is that making an huge impact on another person does not require investing great sums of money or large amounts of effort but simply taking the time to pass along wisdom, experience and perspective.

And, the second poignant lesson is to be sure to give appreciation and thanks sooner rather than later…