Last week I spent several hours going around the house with my trusty homemade window cleaner; a bottle of rubbing alcohol with a sprayer on top. I cleaned all my windows and mirrors. Everything looked crystal clear. I even scaled the ladder and wiped the chandelier in front of the main entrance sparkling clean. When I got to the back sliding glass door, I hesitated. There unmistakably about two and a half feet from the floor were hundreds of little finger prints and hand prints made by my little granddaughter. Instantly I was transported to her past visit. I could see her standing at the door, looking out with bright inquisitive eyes, hands flared full width on either side of her face, with her nose pressed tightly against the warm glass. I smiled as the warm memories poured into my mind. If I didn’t have the hope of her coming again in a few days, I would be tempted to frame the prints rather than clean them. I thought of the fingerprints in my life.
There are memories of those who have left their residue of influence on me. With each one, I find myself thanking God for the small change it made. I am a better person since our paths have crossed. It was my choice to allow them to make a difference in my life. It is a blessing when we allow mentors and friends leave fingerprints on our lives. For each good person that comes into your life, let the fingerprints linger for a while. It not only makes for good memories, but it makes us better people.
