Am I Interesting Enough?

Below is a short reflection from my class "Helping Relationships."  It's regarding an off-handed comment by the author of the book I’m reading.  

“Ever since I wrote about patients’ stories in a book many years ago, I assumed that new patients consulting me might be wary of being written about.  Hence, I’ve reassured patients about confidentiality and assured them that I’ve never written about patients without first obtaining permission and without using deep identity disguise.  But in time I have observed that patients concerns were quite different—in general they were less concerned with being written about than with not being interesting enough to be selected.”

The Gift of Therapy, Irvin Yalom

In chapter 23, Yalom mentions that his patients desire to be interesting enough to be selected for his writing.  I believe this comment says much about humanity.  People want to be important to someone.  People want their efforts to have been worthwhile, and for their hearts to be remembered.  Expatriates are currently leaving their host countries, the jobs they’ve worked so hard to improve, and the community they have cherished.  Was it all worth it? Did I accomplish anything?  Am I interesting enough to be remembered?  Will the students remember anything I’ve taught them?  Is the community any stronger because I was here?  To some degree, these are very valid and important questions to reflect upon.  It would be unwise to leave your home without remembering the joys and the struggles, and to have hope that it was time well spent. However, these thoughts cannot stay at this level.  As believers, we know that we plant many seeds, and God sows them at the proper time.  We have hope that Christ used us to sanctify others, although we may never know to what extent.  It is a beautiful thing to feel important to others, but it is not the ultimate thing, as we live to please God, not man.