Sidney K.
Photography by Alejo Mejia-Tejada
If you’re reading this, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Throughout my time at Clemson, there have been moments that have defined, refined, and remade me into the person I am today. The people I have met, as well as the experiences I have had as a Clemson Tiger, positive or negative, will stay with me even as I move away from the brick buildings of campus.
This past October I was faced with the sudden death of my Grandma. In the thick of coursework, as well as serving in a position within the College Panhellenic Association, there was no time for me to truly process what this loss meant. I took the route of burying my feelings in meetings, assignments, and whatever allowed me to avoid texts from my cousins and calls from my parents.
This overwhelming feeling of guilt took over as thoughts swirled about the last time I’d called, the last picture I’d sent or the last time I told her I loved her. Being over two thousand miles from home has always prompted its own bout of struggles, but this was something completely different. I had to comfort my Mom through a phone call or a text rather than a hug or face-to-face conversation. Suddenly, the events I was planning, or meetings I was attending felt so small and insignificant.
Our family healing began over Christmas break, when family, friends, and those who knew my Grandma came together in memory of the life she lived. We were taken aback by just how many lives she was able to touch in her time as people greeted us, shared stories, and memorialized the woman we loved so deeply. In our own time, my extended family was able to laugh, play games, and truly celebrate my Grandma in the way we knew she would have wanted.
While cleaning out my Grandma’s house, my Mom found a poem that we thought summed up the life my Grandma lived perfectly. After unpacking, one of the first things I did was tape the poem to my bathroom mirror. Every morning when I wake up and every night when I am getting ready for bed I get to see that paper. I get to see the folds and wrinkles left behind by my Grandma’s hands. But, the piece that sticks out to me the most are the two stars she drew by the stanza reading “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
I got to see this quote in action throughout not only my Grandma’s life, but in the way those who attended the memorial spoke about her. She exemplified a woman who cared for others, created a home in the classroom, and lived her life to the fullest. Although she is no longer a phone call away, or just down the street at home, I feel her all around me.
This feeling led me to make the conscious decision to live life more like my Grandma. To be someone that interacts with others with the intent to leave a lasting, positive impact. As an educator, create an environment that develops not only good students but great people; and finally, someone who will squeeze every last drop out of this short life we are blessed with.
We all have to decide what footprint we will leave on the lives we walk into. You can comfort your friends, love those close to you, and compliment strangers. These small acts can change not only the day of others but even the world we live in. We are not promised tomorrow so the decisions we make today are unbelievably important. What can you do to touch the lives of those around you? How will you leave the world better than when you walked on it?
I believe in you. You are important. You matter.
Sidney K., Clemson University
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