The Strange Things We Remember About People

What will people remember about you 15-20 years from now?


It's been said that the main thing that people remember about others is how that person made you feel.

Last week, a former post-doc student from 20 years ago (who's now a professor in France) brought her family over to the US for a family vacation, and they came to see us for a couple days.  Super great time together.

I have had some great post-docs in my life and my wife has liked all of them, but she is very, very taken by this woman.  She is charming, kind, successful, and funny, but that didn't seem to be the real reason. 

My wife said, "Do you know that of all of the graduate students and post-docs you have had, she is one of only two who has ever had us over for dinner.  Others have had us over for group-size BBQs, or potlucks, or pizza parties, but she invited us over for a dinner just with her."  

My wife had just given birth to our oldest daughter, and I was going to be out of town.  Back when this woman was a single post-doc and I was out of town, she invited my wife and baby daughter over to dinner by themselves.  This made a real impression.

Of all the things a person can do, it's funny what it is that sticks with other people.  

Maybe it is how they made you feel.