It was 1998 and I was a fairly new detective. I was sent to a reported robbery where two young girls had been tied up and threatened by a group of men. When I arrived, I found a chaotic scene with clothes and personal items strewn around the apartment. I hadn’t even spoken to the victims yet, but I was in over my head and reached out for help. I called my boss at the time and explained the situation. He uttered four simple words that changed the path of my career, “You can handle it”.
He was right…I thought that I needed assistance, but what I really needed was to believe in myself. I needed to call upon the training and experience that I had acquired over the years and put them to use. It was one of the most challenging cases that I investigated in my 30 years as a cop, but I managed to find justice for those girls. I did eventually need help to clear the case, but that came from law enforcement officials in several states, as well as the families of those young girls. It was the ultimate team effort, but 5 men were charged federally and I was able to keep the promise that I made to the girls the day that they were robbed. I stayed in touch with one of the girls, who was 7 years old at the time, and she is now a happy healthy adult. Solving that case was a highlight of my career, but being invited to Alex’s wedding with my wife was a highlight of my life…
Most of us remember major events that occur during our lives, good and bad, but how often do we put stock in the little things? We often underestimate the power of the spoken word, the silent gesture, or act of kindness. I often wonder how that case would have turned out if my boss didn’t emphatically express his confidence in me when I needed to hear it the most.
Why do we remember innocuous events, sounds or sights that we’ve experienced in our lifetime? I believe it is because they all fill the foundation of who we are, what we believe in, and how we think we should handle ourselves. These factors become even more important as we grow older and are tasked with guiding others. We have the innate ability to raise people up, or inadvertently bring them down. Perhaps those in leadership positions would alter their words and actions if they knew the impact that they had on others…
Four simple words changed my life and the lives of several other people. That is just one example of how the little things matter. We all have the opportunity to make a difference, but how many of us seize that opportunity? The overriding question is will you???
