Monumental

Monumental

In the past few months I’ve been experimenting with something I have never tried—talking to people. Now, before you jump to conclusions, let me explain. I have friends from the circles that I have lived in throughout my life: church, high school, college, music gigs, etc. But lately, I have just started striking up conversations with people in public places.

For example, I met a man on a flight to Nashville, and he ended up having some amazing stories. His occupation involved pioneering revolutionary medical technology, and the amount of famous (and infamous) people that he had crossed paths with in his lifetime was impressive to say the least. All it took to get to know this guy was me saying, “hello.” I took his business card, and, admittedly, my initial thought was about “networking.” I knew that he could be a very beneficial relationship in the long run. But after the flight, I took some time to think about the fact that, even if I never spoke to this guy again, the relationship had already been beneficial. I was afforded the opportunity to meet and hear the stories of an incredible person.

So, why am I saying all of this? Recently, I had a conversation with another person I had just met about the tendencies of people, like myself, to simply pass over hundreds of chances to get to know the others around us. During this conversation, many interesting points were made, but I took away something that I would like to share with you. For you to understand it, however, you will have to participate in a brief mental exercise with me.

The Experiment:

Think for a moment about the Eifel Tower and the Great Wall of China. Think about the Empire State Building and the Washington Monument. Think about the Louvre and Taj Mahal. Alright, have you thought about these breathtaking structures? Now, think of the person or people who designed the Eifel Tower or the Great Wall. Think of the hands that laid the foundations of the Empire State Building. Can you? Do you have any idea what the person’s name was who dreamed up the architectural plan for the Louvre? My guess is that most people who read this article won’t have any idea who the people are behind these great feats of human ingenuity.

Redefining Greatness:

The question I must ask is this—what is more important? An extraordinary piece of artwork or the calloused hands that painted it? What is more baffling? A game-changing business model or the mind that envisioned it? What is more awe-inspiring? A skyscraper built to the low levels of Heaven or the architect who, in his intellect and brilliance, both imagined the structure and made it workable in the realm of physics, bringing it to reality? My point is that the man-made (or woman-made) things we all appreciate in any sphere of life originated in the minds of real people, who, for all intents and purposes, are just like you and me. The key is to hear the phrase, “just like you and me,” and instead of associating that with words like “mundane” or “average,” associate it with words like “valuable” and “capable.”

All humans have inherent value, and if we recognize that, we will learn to see the potential in ourselves and in those around us. Think about it. Across the coffee shop may be the next Mariah Carey. There may live a man in your neighborhood who is inventing the next MacBook. In the shopping cart of a young mother may sit a child, who will pioneer a mission to Mars. These things sound huge and unlikely, but nobody thinks any random person around him will do something spectacular until that person does something spectacular. What if you had been around to meet Frank Sinatra before he was famous? What did people think of him before they heard his silky smooth voice? What if you had been George Washington’s childhood best friend? Would people have thought him a leader of leaders before he proved he was? What if you were actually created to accomplish the wildest dreams and visions in your heart, and the people around you were too?

Conclusion:

Understanding your value and the value of every single person you see is the key to living a much more interesting and beautiful life. So, go meet someone. Be a little more trusting in a world shrouded with shadows of suspicion. See the hidden potential in the most unlikely folks. Because people are valuable. People are precious. People are the greatest achievements, not art, or buildings, or status. People are monumental.