What's in a Name?

I briefly met a woman recently whom I see every day. I performed my usual smile and nod, but after I met her, I added a little half wave too. About a week after our introduction, we walked past each other and she said my name in her greeting. I was truly shocked...and then touched. She remembered me.

Names are identities. We might not love our parents' choice or maybe hate when people misspell it, but it identifies who we are on a certain level - one that separates us from the majority.

Want to inspire and encourage someone today? Say their name. They may also need a good inspirational quote or a thoughtful compliment, but when you match that with what identifies them as unique, it makes it personal.

Classic example: watch You've Got Mail again (as if we need an excuse, right?!) and watch the scene with Tom Hanks in the grocery store where he convinces the store employee, Rose, to do something she didn't initially want to do. It's a beautiful example of identifying with a stranger by using their name.