Don't Wait

I was embarrassingly old when I realized that my grandfather's last name wasn't Buddy.  All I'd ever called him was Pawpaw Buddy.  To hear my mom tell the story, it sounds like a cute little interaction.  Pawpaw, when I was tiny (relatively speaking) grabbed me and said, "You're my buddy."  How does a little kid respond to something like that other than, "You're my Pawpaw Buddy."

All my life I've called him Pawpaw Buddy.  I honestly didn't realize until a few years ago that me, and my two brothers, are the only grandchildren who called him by that name.  It all started because and older, wiser man saw the opportunity to invest, in a huge way, into one of his grandsons...and that continues to stick with me.  Pawpaw saw an opportunity, and seized it.

Pawpaw didn't wait for things to happen.  He looked ahead and predicted needs and ways to help.  He was the kind of man who didn't wait for you to walk over and awkwardly introduce yourself; he'd meet you first.  He didn't wait for you to ask for help; he was there, ready to offer a hand...and a good joke.  He was a proactive man which, was a trait that I continue to find appealing.  

We all know the truth.  At different times and in different ways, we all have favorites.  With all of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren Pawpaw had, we each, always felt like we were his favorite...and I think a lot of that can be attributed to his proactive relationships with each of us.  

So, how can you proactively reach out to someone today?  Rather than waiting for them to come to you, who are you going to step out and call/email/text?  Who is that one person that probably needs to hear from you more than you think?  Seriously...take 3 minutes right now and consider this.  It will be your proactive choice that will make someone feel like the most important person in the world today.

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