Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a book launch that celebrated a friend and colleague. I was genuinely excited to be there, not just because of the book, but because of what it represented.

We have to celebrate the people who have made an impact on us. They are part of the people we meet, and the gifts we carry forward.

Many years ago, I met this colleague when she came to my former district as a literacy consultant. From the moment I heard her speak, I wanted to lean in and learn from her. She showed me what thoughtful curriculum writing looks like, and her love of picture books and teaching was always clear.

And what I didn’t realize then, but see so clearly now, is that I have carried those lessons with me into every classroom, every conversation, and every opportunity I have to work alongside teachers and leaders today.

From the beginning, I was a fan, and I still am.

Watching her present, write for many well-known publications, and support educators has been inspiring. She is a gift.

When she said, “Lauren, you traveled so far,” I smiled and said, “I would travel to the moon and back for this.” That is what it means to show up for people who have impacted you.

It was special to be surrounded by educators, family, and friends. A small, unexpected gift for me was hearing my counterpart in another school district share that they were halfway through my book The Leader Inside.

“Lauren, I have heard you speak, and the book really is in your voice. It’s like you’re speaking right to me as I read it.”

In that moment, I was reminded of something I often write about and continue to believe deeply:

You never know who you will impact. You never know who is learning from you.

In The Leader Inside, I share that people come into our lives in different ways. Some for minutes. Some for hours. Some for months or years. Some stay, and others come and go. And if we pause long enough to reflect, we can often trace parts of who we are back to those moments, those conversations, those people.

And what feels even more exciting is this: there are people we haven’t even met yet who will shape us in ways we cannot yet imagine.

I often go back to the wisdom from Brianna Wiest in her book, The Pivot Year, which offers many powerful reminders, including this:

“The people, places and things that fade in and out of your life come to you for a specific purpose, and once their mission is complete, you are able to move onto the next experience.”

When I think about this in the context of education, it becomes even more meaningful.

Every day, in classrooms, hallways, meetings, and conversations, we step into one another’s lives. Sometimes briefly. Sometimes for longer stretches of time. We may not always see the full impact of those moments, but they matter.

A comment we make.

A question we ask.

A moment where we choose to listen a little longer.

These are the moments that stay.

As educators and leaders, we often think about the systems we build, the curriculum we design, or the data we analyze. I write about these things often and widely, and all of that matters. But at the center of it all are people. The relationships we build. The ways we show up for one another. The belief we hold for others, sometimes before they can hold it for themselves.

We are constantly stepping into each other’s stories.

And just like the people who have shaped us, we are shaping others, often in ways we may never fully see.

So we keep showing up.

We keep celebrating one another.

We keep sharing our gifts.

Because in doing so, something powerful happens.

We become part of someone else’s story.

And just like I was reminded that night, celebrating someone who has shaped me…

You never know who you will impact. You never know who is learning from you.

And maybe that is the most important reminder of all.

We bring our gifts.

And in doing so, we become gifts to each other.

The people we meet become the gifts we carry forward.

Note: The colleague I am writing about is Sarah Cordova. In the spirit of celebrating those who have impacted us, I invite you to check out her book HERE.