A simple mantra I wrote years ago—“Remember where you came from, appreciate where you are, focus on where you’re going”—has traveled farther than I ever imagined, quoted by strangers, schools, and friends. I share the humbling experience of seeing my words echoed in the world, along with the deeply personal memory of my late mother gifting me a carved plaque of the mantra on my 30th birthday. A reminder that our words ripple outward, sometimes in ways we’ll never fully see.