Two years ago, I visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum for the first time. If you’ve been there, you know that it’s an extremely emotional experience. My trip was no different. In fact, while I was there, I came across something that changed me forever: a bracelet, in the gift shop. It was black, and in white letters in all caps, it said…

“WHAT YOU DO MATTERS.”

Now, if you know me, you know that I am a sucker for a good inspirational quote, but this one really stood out to me. In fact, I remember suddenly becoming emotional just reading the words.

You mean to tell me that what I, one small fragment of a 7,432,663,275 piece puzzle, do matters?

Yes. It does. It really does.

Sometimes, we get so caught up in this crazy life, that we forget this incredibly important truth.

We often say things that we do not really mean, or do things that we should not have done.

Older, wiser people have told me to live life without regrets. But, despite those words, I cannot help but regret many things.

I regret all of the unkind remarks I let slip out of my mouth when I was angry and wish I could take them back.

I regret complaining so much about irrelevant things when there are people out there who wish they could have the blessings I have.

I regret every chance I’ve missed to smile at someone and ask them how their day was.

People are watching the things we are saying and doing, and reacting to them.

In case you were wondering, I bought the bracelet. I wear it nearly every day, and it is very stretched out. It serves as a reminder to me that I should take every opportunity to do something to better this world I live in. Every time I look at it, I am overwhelmed by the realization that what I do really does matter. And that my words and actions are capable of changing the world.

Everyone feels small sometimes. We all have days where we think nothing that we do is important. But it is. What you do matters.