You Matter

What’s the first impression you want to give people?

I still remember the summer of the 2019 bushfires. The smoke had settled over Sydney like a heavy blanket, and news kept coming in about towns under threat. As I followed the fire maps each day, I found myself thinking about where our college students lived, and where they were holidaying with their families. I knew their home towns. I knew who was away on the South Coast.

So I reached out — quietly, individually — just to check that they were safe. Many of them were surprised that I remembered those details. But for me, it felt natural. When you care about people, you pay attention to their lives.

That experience still shapes how I think about first impressions.
If someone meets me for the first time, I don’t expect them to see all that straight away. I’m fairly quiet, fairly contained. I don’t have the kind of outward warmth that spills across a room on first encounter. My way is slower, more subtle.

But underneath, what I hope people sense is that they matter. Not because of anything dramatic I might say or do, but because I’m listening. I’m noticing. I’m holding on to the small things they share, and I’ll remember them later. Names. Stories. Worries. Hometowns.

Over time, people usually come to see that about me. The first impression I want to give isn’t loud or polished. It’s simply this: you matter and I won’t forget you.

Daily writing prompt

What’s the first impression you want to give people?

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