Stop & Smell the Papyrus
Earlier today I had the privilege of interviewing a retail giant. Regardless of where you live, I can almost guarantee you have shopped in one of his stores. The first time I met him a few years back, I was literally in awe of what he had accomplished in his life. Now, after working with him on multiple projects, it has become commonplace.
About an hour later as we prepared for another interview, I read a handwritten letter from Thomas Jefferson and held pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls. These are items you expect to only see in museums, but I had the opportunity to experience them outside of the well placed lights of an exhibit display. Most people never get this opportunity in their life.
It wasn't until one of my team members noticed the situation and mentioned the enormity of what was happening that I paused to take it all in. What happened this morning is not something that happens everyday. This was a special moment. These types of things do not happen often, but sadly I almost missed a huge moment in my life because I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings.
Sometimes in life we can become so accustomed to our life that we fail to see the moments that are extraordinary. What is normal to us may literally be a once in a lifetime experience for someone else. Today was a big deal, but in the moment I couldn't see what was happening. It felt just like any other Monday morning.
Celebrate the moments in life that are extraordinary, even if they happen often.
An hour later, I was back at my office working on emails as if this was a normal days work. Stop and notice the extraordinary moments in life. You will be glad you did.