I received a message the other day that really moved me, and the person who sent it kindly gave me permission to share it.
They met Jess during a difficult time in their life and wrote:
“I don’t remember much about the person I was back then, but I do remember that I was angry a lot. I kept people at a distance and was often short with those around me. But Jess saw past all of that. She showed me kindness and compassion every time we spoke, consistently and without hesitation. She didn’t stop until she helped me see the joy in the life happening around me.”
They only knew Jess for about a year and a half, but the impact stuck with them. They went on to say:
“Since then, I’ve tried to live each day with the kindness, patience, and lightness that Jess showed me. Even though I was a little older than her, I knew she was the kind of person I wanted to be when I grew up. I think of her often, especially when I choose to be kind, even when it’s the hardest thing to do.”
That last part really stayed with me. The idea that we always have the choice to be kind.
Jess had this quiet, steady way of making people feel seen, even when they were going through something hard. Her kindness wasn’t (always 🙂) loud or showy, but it lingered. It stayed with people. It helped them shift.
When I asked if I could share this message, the person said:
"You're more than welcome to share it anonymously! I was just thinking about her a lot yesterday and decided to compile everything I've been thinking the last few months into one message. I hope that by sharing the kindness I learned from her I can change at least one person's life the way she changed mine."
This is the heart of #JessInspired; simple, honest moments of kindness that quietly change lives. She had a way of making people feel better just by being herself. And that impact is still rippling outward, in the most beautiful ways.
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