I fell in love for the first time when I was 8. That was the year that my aunt and I were on our way to go arrowhead hunting when we accidentally hit a butterfly with our vehicle. Anybody else would have continued driving, or maybe accompanied the event with an “oh no” or “poor thing”. My aunt proceeded to pull to the side of the road, get out of the car, peel the butterfly off the front of the car, and bring it back into the cab. She then handed me a small container with the butterfly in it and told me to blow on the butterfly until it began to move again. In my head, I thought this was foolish and completely a waste of time, but I had a pretty long car ride ahead of me, and I knew it would put her heart at ease. After about 5 minutes of me gently blowing on the butterfly, it began to move again. Through the shock, I was able to stammer out that the butterfly was moving, and it was going to be okay. My aunt’s passion and dedication to this butterfly’s life sparked a fire inside that I would not discover again until 10 years later.

I fell in love with a butterfly. I fell in love because of a butterfly. I fell in love because of somebody's dedication to the life of this butterfly.

I fell in love with life and not just my own. I fell in love with the idea that each organism on this earth is living a life just like you and I are. I fell in love with the idea that each and every person on this earth has a story behind them, most of which is hidden from the public eye. Life is a beautiful and complex concept that we will only ever understand from our own perspective. I fell in love with my life and the idea that I get so many chances each and every day to live it. I fell in love with individualization, and that mindset is one that I hope will stick with me forever.

See, what we don't realize is how our actions are going to affect other people. We don't realize the impact that we have on people's lives each and every day. Our actions are so influential, and people will remember things long after we ever do. You could be doing something, positive or negative, that is going to stick with a person and ultimately impact decisions that they make in the future. People are followers, and they gravitate towards a leader. Whether it be intentional or not, you are leaving an impact.

Looking back now, I realize how this butterfly impacted my future. I think back to my aunt's dedication to its life, and it drives me. It drives me to care about life more. It drives me to care more deeply about things that may seem so minute to the world. It drives me to care about my impact on the next generation and to realize that I am more influential than I once perceived. I'm thankful for my aunt showing me this level of love for a butterfly and ultimately changing my perspective on life.

I fell in love with life. I fell in love with impact.