Mine-- they know who they are. I told them. Being able to accurately identify and name what they did has been an important part of my being able to make some use out of whatever it was that they passed along.

It sure is weird, though, when you're the one having others tell you it was you, isn't it? (Let's not kid ourselves-- many of us here have mattered to at least a couple of people? People are like that.) Sometimes it's years after I was SURE they didn't hear whatever I tried to tell them, and then there they are, telling me they did, and what it meant in their lives.

Makes me step lightly, not knowing what crap may come out of my mouth that someone in need will take to be really important. When they tell me, I try to disabuse them of the notion of being "so inspired," because IMO the REAL secret is to just try to be straight with folks, and so that "inspired" thing isn't quite... right.

I'd much rather hear what they DID with whatever they got out of our interaction-- that's the interesting part, for me. And that's what I try to tell the people who have made an impression on me-- what I did with it, and how their gift went on for others.

~S~