Steve O’Neill demonstrates to us how even the smallest of measures can sometimes be the most powerful.
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I sit here at my computer on a night much like any other. My day progressed in a seemingly normal fashion like many before it. A delicious breakfast comprised of scrambled eggs, pan seared spinach, garbanzo beans and fresh salsa. Not very appealing to many I would suspect, but I enjoy that exact same meal roughly 6 days a week. I sped off to work with haste, hoping this time my tardiness would go unnoticed; success. It’s not that I hate my current job, I just don’t enjoy it… ok I pretty much hate it. The mindless tasks of packing, unpacking, and moving furniture just don’t rile me up. It’s becoming more and more challenging to stay motivated while continuously partaking in the mundane.
But there is hope; a shiny glimmering morsel of hope that I hang on to with a white knuckle grip better suited for one who’s dangling from a rope 100 feet off the ground.
I returned home later in the evening after a short consultation with a friend regarding a personal construction project; feels good to be sought after for advice. A brief yet rejuvenating workout ensued, followed by a relaxing shower. I settled in to the micro fiber sofa chair and gulped down a delicious glass of milk while watching a short film. That film just so happened to be an ESPN 30 for 30 flick titled Straight Outta L.A. directed by Ice Cube. That may seem arbitrary at this point, but then again what is my point? Thought you were lost for a second, didn’t you?
Good, that was my intention.
With Each Keystroke…
The night that began much like any other has gradually revealed its true nature. What may be the end to any normal day secretly holds a meaning lost to all those who care not to find it. It could be that they are merely searching in all the wrong places.
Let me share with you a little secret… you don’t have to look far.
♦◊♦
As the cursor on my computer screen incessantly blinks, almost as if it’s taunting me to punch each key with more force than its predecessor, I can’t help but feel a calm slowly occupy my mind, and then my body. For the first time today I feel relaxed. I hear the rapid movement of trees brushing up against one another outside my window as droplets of water gently collide with the broad leaves of a nearby oak tree. The pace of rainfall gradually builds as the pitter patter of rain drops begins to increase, striking my window from time to time like a friend who’s stopped by to say hello. My peripheral vision catches a bolt of electricity streak across the blackest of night skies. The difference between sight and sound was 5 seconds that time; must be about a mile away.
Does it bother me that my window is wide open? Not in the slightest.
If it were shut I would miss the inevitable calm after the storm. I wouldn’t be able to feel the cool breeze tenderly graze my skin as I sit in front of my desk. The familiar sound of rustling leaves in a soft blowing wind would be muted if my glass cage were sealed tightly shut. We mustn’t forget about the smell, oh that unforgettable smell. The scent of a rain storm keeps your olfactory senses working overtime. Not to mention the increased workload of your brain; quickly gathering every past moment and memory in which you savored that sweet aroma of an imminent down pour. It’s hard to forget.
So what happened to a night much like any other?
It still exists, only elsewhere at this point in time. I uncovered a unique environment… within myself. The thunder storm outside didn’t make the night special, nor did the subsequent calm breeze.
It was me. And it could be you.
Um, That Was Neat, But Why?
Could you see yourself inside of a room as you witnessed each stage of a rain storm? Even if it was just for a moment, did you picture the rustling trees and maybe even recall a few moments in which you remembered the smell of rain? Did you lose yourself in a brief daydream? I twisted, turned, contorted, and modified my world to how I see fit by simply doing what I love – writing. It’s my glimmer of hope. By sharing that passion with you, hopefully you found at least a moments worth of relaxation (or maybe a small visualization vacation).
But what is it that you love to do? What’s your glimmer of hope?
The reason I ask is because anytime we find ourselves immersed in something we love, our world changes. The coolest part is that not only our world changes, but the world of those around us also changes. It’s not something we have the technology to measure (at least not yet), but I’m sure you’ve noticed it in the past; the feel, the vibe, the energy one emits when consumed by their passion.
It’s crazy shit.
It’s interesting how even the slightest interaction (presenting an observational tale for example) with another human being can influence that individual, either positively or negatively. It’s an easy concept to overlook or even entirely dismiss on a daily basis. But keep it in the back of your mind the next time you interact with another human being (which could be in the next few minutes). Do you remember how you felt the last time a stranger smiled at you as they passed by? Did it make you smile, or at least crack a little smirk? Who knows if that minuscule interaction sent your day spiraling upward; I can pretty much guarantee it didn’t ruin your day.
“What an asshole! Did you see that?! That son of a bitch just smiled at me! He’s got a lot of nerve. God help him if he comes back around trying to smile at me again, I’ll smile right back at that bastard!”
So, what if you smiled at or said hello to everyone you passed walking down the street or in the hallway of your office for one day? A simple gesture, yes, but a potentially powerful one nonetheless. It’s a test — so you can witness how a small action can affect others; before you start blowing their minds by pursuing your passion.
You could change lives…
Be mindful of your actions — they have the ability to affect not only your life, but the lives of others; whether they are intentional or not.
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This article originally appeared on Hobo Drifter.
Photo credit: Eelco/flickr