For the last few months, I’ve been playing what I’ve dubbed “the word game” with friends. The concept is deceptively simple: each person present takes turns describing someone in three words. Everyone invariably rolls their eyes when I suggest playing, but by the end of the game, they’re converts. It’s a game about feeling appreciated, understood, and truly seen by the people in your life. It’s challenging to distill someone’s essence down to just a few adjectives, but it’s incredibly affirming to be on the receiving end. Having played the game countless times with different groups of people, I’ve realized there’s a consistency to how I’m described, a common refrain that rings over and over, and it’s immensely comforting. I’ve always thought of personality as mutable and ambiguous, but in truth, we really do leave a unique imprint on those around us. The energy we bring to a room and the impact it has on others is deeply distinctive, and I think that’s a beautiful thing.