I just finished reading the
short-story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber. (http://www.all-story.com/issues.cgi?action=show_story&story_id=100.) The last time I read it, I was a sophomore in
High School. Reading about Walter
Mitty’s imagination back then caught my interest immediately. It was a fun, relatable story for me. I remember the joy of a mental escape that my own
imagination provided. As a young high
school kid, there were countless dragons I slayed, helpless women and children
I rescued, and, of course, my recurring success at keeping civilization at bay from
all the havoc, mayhem, and … well, just really bad stuff.
Even now, I can fall into my
daydreaming, hero world with ease. I
mean, with a career as a coffee drinking, nerdy accountant and possessing
virtually no handy-man skills, it can make for an appealing, even necessary,
escape for me. Like when I thoughtfully offer
to fly my wife, Carrie, into work using my stealth helicopter so she can avoid
traffic … or was it using my jet pack … or perhaps it was offering to beam her
up ala Star Trek style. Yeah, I think I like
that last one best.
With that said, I would never
trade my life experiences for all that Star Trek space travel stuff and going
where no man has gone before. I’ll take
the ordinary, the mundane, and the phenomenal experiences that come with participating
and engaging in real life events.
I cherish the ordinary
memory I have of sitting with Carrie in our lawn chairs and watching our kids
play soccer in the pouring rain.
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I wonder if we were real life heroes to our kids
for being there.
I absolutely
love the mundane morning I spent with Carrie on our back deck drinking coffee,
talking, and being together.
§
I wonder if we were real life heroes to each
other for being there.
I anticipate all the
phenomenal experiences I’ll have doing nothing, doing something, and doing everyday
things with others.
§
I wonder if I’ll be someone’s real life hero for
being there.
Sure, I’ll still climb the
Himalayas to rescue the stranded hikers and I’ll personally administer the
antidote to that small tribe in Africa, but I’ll also smile, open doors for
others, listen, be a friend, and seek ways to encourage people.
Do you ever wonder if all those simple
and ordinary life events you experience can be life changing events for others? Look for opportunities to be an everyday hero
to your waitress, your co-worker, and your family. And you too just might save the world … one
boring day at a time.
