Will You Be Missed?

The holidays brought so many emotions this year.  My entire family could feel the void my dad left.  It's not the fact that it was our first Christmas without him but the fact that he brought so much joy to Christmas.  He loved to see our kids faces light up as much as we did.  It was his gift.  He had the gift of giving.  He also had the gift of encouragement.  There are so many things I want to tell my dad because he would be so excited for me.  I find myself searching for someone to call but there is no one that would share the excitement as much as my dad.  It could be the smallest thing but he would act like I had just won the lottery.  He left an emptiness that can't be filled which made me start to question my existence.  Would I be missed?  But more importantly, would it be felt?  There are many people that are probably missed at certain times in life.  What would people miss about  me, Laurie Payne or would it even be felt?  Would there be a difference in the lives of others if I were not around?  Would holidays change?  Would every day to day change in the lives of those that I surround myself with on a weekly basis?  Would it be "felt" or how would it be felt?  There are people in our lives that sometimes suck the very life out of us and we can tell when they are not around.  But then there are others who bring life.  They speak life.  Others notice when they are not around.  What is it that you bring to the table?  What do you have to offer that would be missed if you were not here?  Are you pouring out life into others around you or sucking the very life out of them?  As we enter the new year,  I challenge you to give life all that you've got.  Give it 100%.  If you can't think of anything that someone would miss, pray to find your purpose in life.  We all have a purpose.  To you, your purpose may seem small compared to others.  But sometimes in life, it truly is the little things that matter.  Those little things add up to become big things...and one day, it's the little things that are missed.  Will you be missed but more importantly, will it be felt?