Two years ago, I interviewed Ana Pereira for a story. I was writing for The Oracle on language liaisons at South. Our interview was full of warmth and connection, unlike anyone I had talked to before. Last month, Pereira sadly passed away, but before that happened she truly made a difference in my life.
After our interview, Pereira emailed me and thanked me for sharing her work and making her feel important within our school. She told me, “Follow your dream in whatever you want to do in life.” So I did.
My interaction with Pereira was the first time I realized that I truly loved writing, and she inspired me to continue. I am now in my third year of writing for The Oracle and I have been accepted to eight universities to study journalism after writing my college essay about Pereira. One sentence sent to me in an email made all the difference.
We often focus on the big moments in our lives, like milestones, but what gets us to those big, amazing moments is just as important.
Everyday a million little things happen. You wake up, you blink, you eat, and you sleep. Most little tasks get brushed off, but you never know when one small moment can make all the difference in your life.
A smile and wave at a teacher in the hallway can result in a recommendation letter to your dream school. Waiting five minutes before taking a sip of coffee can save you from a week full of pain. A slight turn in the right direction can save you from an accident. An invitation from a friend can create a life-long bond.
Little moments always have the possibility to make a change in your life.
I never thought that interviewing Pereira and writing that story would lead to the outcome of my future, but I am so grateful. Now, I consider every small moment as an opportunity to be thankful – thankful that one moment led to something great, thankful that one action avoided something bad. Every small part of life matters depending on how you look at it, so take that time to thoughtfully acknowledge all those small things.
So the next time something small happens, don’t brush it away. Remember it because the littlest moments can create the biggest impacts.
