In Henry Cloud's book "Integrity" (which I would strongly encourage everyone to read), he talks about the wake we leave behind. If you have ever been on the back of a boat you know that the wake it leaves behind can tell you a lot about the boat itself. If it is straight and smooth you know the boat is steady and on course. Others on the water might even enjoy your wake by swimming or skiing on it or in it. Your wake leaves people smiling for having had you come through their lives.
On the other hand, boats can also leave the kind of wake that is rough, wavy, disturbs the fishermen, muddies the shoreline, and leaves everyone in its path bobbing for air.
The question is, "What kind of wake are you leaving behind?" Are people better for having had you come through their lives or are they bobbing for air as you wiz on by recklessly.
We need to understand that what we do and how we carry ourselves matters. Whether it is what you do behind the scenes, in front of the scenes, whatever, we all need to consider the wake behind us. Sometimes the storms of life will come and we will feel like just driving away and leaving everyone bobbing for air; however, a good captain will steady the ship and those on the boat and those in the wake will not even realize just how bad the storm was because the captain considered the wake, the captain considered others before he considered himself.
When you look back over the past week, the past month, the past year, what kind of wake have you left? Is it steady and smooth or all over the place? The good thing about the wake is that it can be changed. Take the time to slow down, steady the boat, enjoy the ride, look out for others, and before long you will look back and see that those within your wake are better for having experienced it!
Christian
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