DAY 20: SOMEONE WHO’S MADE A BIG IMPACT ON ME RECENTLY

This has by far been the most difficult piece of writing to put out there over the last couple of weeks because at first, I didn’t feel like I had a clear idea in my head of who to write about. And it didn’t feel like a topic to be forced.

So, I gave myself some more time to think about it, and this is dedicated to my late aunt, Monica Samuels, who passed away almost two months ago. My aunt lost her husband several years ago and did not have children, but she left a hole in our immediate and extended family that feels far bigger than just one mind, one person, and one spirit.

The days before and after her passing were spent reflecting upon her life and her contribution to our family. These are just some of the ways in which it is clear she has inspired us:

She taught us to put family first. To her, there was nothing more important than family – from her late husband, to her nieces and nephews, to her siblings and to every child that spent any amount of time in her house… each one was extremely important. Each one was to be cherished.

She taught us to live simply. My aunt exemplified ‘living below one’s means’. Just because you can do or buy something, certainly doesn’t mean you should, and her outlook, while sometimes odd, was refreshing in a world where everyone seems to be constantly living on the edge; a world where we acquire things that are actually out of our reach. She wasn’t interested in a lavish lifestyle – for her, family nearby was all the luxury she needed.

She taught us to give freely. Her generosity was always evident, and as many hinted at when reflecting on her life, you would never leave her home without something in your hands: for a much younger version of me, that something was a model car. For my niece years later, it was a marshmallow easter egg. Goodness, sometimes she even gave you things that couldn’t immediately be identified, or they had a colour scheme that looked like nothing else in your house. She also lived in an area where a knock on the door for a sandwich was a common affair, and my aunt always had something for the less fortunate person on the other side.

Most of all, my aunt will forever be a reminder (especially to many of us in our 20s, when going all-out to prove ourselves seems to be all that matters), that you don’t need very much at all (i.e. seven jobs, the latest car, the best apartment, the biggest following) to make a real impact. You really just need to be good, think good, have good intentions and recognise what really matters in life – family, love, sincerity, kindness, gratitude.