I remember a person in my life. An ordinary person with an extraordinary love for life, and for people. This extraordinary person, taught me everything I ever needed to know about leadership. It wasn’t so much what they said that made the biggest impression, it was what they did that mattered most. They lived a life that mattered. Truly mattered. Not only to me, but to all the people that knew and loved this person.

This person never said an unkind word about anyone in my presence. Never once. In fact, they spent most of their time writing handwritten notes of encouragement to hearts needing a lift. I can’t pass the card section in the store, without a warm fuzzy feeling coming over me.

This person told me to treat everyone I meet, as if they were a King. To treat others, the way I want to be treated. I was told to imagine they had a sign around their neck that said, “Make me feel important!” There was another little sign hanging underneath it that said, “Don’t belittle me!” It’s the first thing I see, when I meet someone new.

This person told me to put kindness and integrity in everything I do. They told me to expect the best in people…to look for it. They told me to love most, love best…and to always, always, love. “When it’s all said and done, the only thing that matters is, did you love someone?” They believed this was what truly mattered. It was their favorite saying, and now has become mine. They told me to know what I value, and become what I value. They were the representation of everything I hold dear. They told me to trust God with the outcome. They trusted him completely with all the parts, right up to the last hard one.

They told me so many things…but what they showed me, left an incredible path of light to follow.

They showed me love. Unconditional love. The no matter what kind of love, that makes me want to stand up and shout, “Thank you for loving me like that!”

They showed me hope. Unbelievable hope. The expect it to work out alright kind of hope. The kind you need when all else fails. The kind that gets you through the worst of times, and keeps you looking ahead to the best of times.

They showed me faith. Incredible faith. The hand in there with the best you’ve got kind of faith. The kind of faith that got them through the darkest hour of their life, and even with their last ounce of strength and courage, told those they loved, to “Keep the faith!”

I’m still learning how to be a better leader, because I’m still following the example of the finest person I ever knew. I loved her, and want her to know that, yes indeed, I am still keeping the faith! I’ll always remember her as the person who made the biggest difference in my life, because she made me want to be a better person.

Thank you for that, Mama. As usual, you were right. It was the only thing that really mattered.

(In memory of Dorothy Faith Patterson Jolly, who left this world a better place, June 27, 2001.)