Lots of good things happened today. Running into one of my first cousins at a store. Having lunch with my sister-in-law. Finding helpful people at my local library. Congratulating my son on his reaching a 600-day streak in Duolingo. Having my little neighbour tell me that he liked the cake I made.

But one of the nicest of all was hearing from a friend the moment he received the results of a recent test to assess his proficiency in speaking German. He was hoping to reach level 1. Imagine his delight when he received word today that he achieved level 2, surpassing his goal.

I have so much respect for my friend. He speaks Creole, French, Spanish, English and now—he can say with confidence—German. He is intelligent, kind, articulate, dedicated and positive. I have referenced him many times in my blog, sharing his wisdom and generosity with all of you.

In his email today, he thanked me for having talked about my experience with Duolingo, which encouraged him to explore the app. And he expressed appreciation for my having included him in my family group in Duolingo. He wrote: "I want you to know, well to confirm, that you are influential, and you make people better." I am so proud of my friend and happy that I played a small part in his success, though the real credit goes to him.

We don't always know the effect we have on others, so it's a gift when we hear that we make a difference to them. Today, a friend reached out to me for advice as she navigates a difficult situation, telling me that my blog posts have helped many times. I hope that my response provides some help to her and her family.

All of this calls to mind the words of Randy Pausch: "Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other."