The loss of a dear, old friend this past week has drawn me into a period of grieving. Grief is an interesting companion at times like these—uninvited, persistent, and quietly reflective. Yet it also has a way of slowing us down, inviting us to pay attention to what truly matters.
The economic development profession, of which I’ve been a member for more than 40 years, is much like a family. We attend the same conferences year after year, and over time those gatherings become a home away from home. Colleagues turn into trusted friends.
The passing of Jill A. Miles, at age 65 and only two years after retirement, prompted two powerful elegies—one on LinkedIn and another on Facebook. Each drew dozens of heartfelt comments as people shared their own experiences with Jill across the span of her long career. Together, these reflections revealed the wide-ranging impact she had, particularly her quiet gift for noticing people and supporting them during vulnerable moments in their lives.
One of the tributes offered a gentle reminder: reach out to the people who have made a difference in your life. As the years go by, it becomes surprisingly easy to lose track of those individuals who shaped us in positive ways. Ten years can pass in a blink, and suddenly we wonder where the time went.
Who had a positive impact on your life—someone who arrived just when they were needed?
For me, there were many. Former supervisors when I worked for the Illinois Department of Community and Industrial Development nearly fifty years ago. And more recent, a colleague I worked with just last fall to deliver an artificial intelligence cohort training session. Where are these influencers now? When was the last time you spoke with them?
Meanwhile, life goes on. I continue to mourn my loss, and gradually the pain will retreat—becoming less constant, less sharp. There is comfort in the rhythm of things: seasons change, relationships endure in memory, and what was given is not lost. The cycle of birth, growth, maturity, and eventual passing is the shared journey we all walk. Making the most of our time together remains both the challenge and the gift.
In the end, our legacy is not measured by titles or accomplishments, but by the people we encouraged, the doors we quietly opened, and the grace we extended when it mattered most.