Riffs: Kristen Cosper, City Year Louisiana, training coordinator

I read this book while stuck in an airport. It wasn’t strategic, just a quick decision.

Written by Mitch Albom, it tells the story of an older man who dies and is escorted into heaven by five people whose lives were affected by the decisions the old man made in his life.

This book is inspirational to me because it helps me remember that I matter. Though I am but one person, the decisions I make and actions I take can create change.

The idea that we are all connected helps me put my life into perspective. I realize that there are two types of kindness, deliberate and unintentional, and that both are equally effective.

Every choice I make in my lifetime helps another person on their journey, just as it helps me on mine. This reminds me to choose wisely, see things clearly and always have a purpose in what I do. When I make decisions it’s not just for me.

Deciding to read that book at the airport was unintentionally life-changing. Reading it made me think of all the decisions made by other people I didn’t know that helped me get where I am in life. Sometimes things just work out.