Impact

Impact
im·pact
n.
1. The striking of one body against another; collision.
2. The force or impetus transmitted by a collision.
3. The effect or impression of one thing on another: still gauging the impact of automation on the lives of factory workers.
4. The power of making a strong, immediate impression: a speech that lacked impact.
v. (m-pkt) im·pact·ed, im·pact·ing, im·pacts
v.tr.
1. To pack firmly together.
2. To strike forcefully: meteorites impacting the lunar surface.
3. Usage Problem To have an effect or impact on: "No region ... has been more impacted by emerging demographic and economic trends" Joel Kotkin.
v.intr. Usage Problem
To have an effect or impact.
[From Latin impctus, past participle of impingere, to push against; see impinge.]

A word that has both a positive and negative meaning...from the Latin to mean push against. So when someone says, you made an impact on my life it can mean many things, but most often I believe it means that you made a difference...you changed something or some way that they viewed things or thought about things or continue to run through life. I hold a semi-leadership position in my church and recently had someone tell me the impact I had on their life, that my words encouraged them to do something new, my actions forced them to see their needs. Not in a bad way mind you...I actually never really discussed any of this with this person, instead I was just being me, just doing my job. It is said that there are always people watching us and we must try to act and react in a way that represents the God we serve, but it is most often in the little things that I find that people really ARE watching. It is so easy to lose oneself in all that needs to be done that we don't take time to remember why we are doing it. God has given us each a great blessing. We can impact those around us....the choice is ours, will it be for the positive or negative?