Fan of Everyone

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." -Henry David Thoreau

Here I am on the road once again, traveling for business. I always enjoying the people watching at the airport and in the locations I travel to. The diversity of people seen and meet really tends to enrichen my own life. As with wide variety, there will be those that annoy those around them. But there will also be those that liven up their surroundings just by being there.

I tend to be the type of person that sits back and observes. I view it as listening to my surroundings. To feel out how life is interacting with people can be quite entertaining. There is the young woman in the dress walking through the Sky Club lounge. What caught my eye was not her, but watching the men and women watching her. The turn of a head, a scowl from the wife, and all of the varied looks people gave. Did the woman notice, did she feel the eyes upon her? For all that, did she care or want the attention?

What it comes down for me is trying to figure out the stories of these people. Granted it isn't for me to know their personnel stories, but to develop a story from their actions. I'd love to know the personal stories because most would have an interesting one to tell. But since I can not do that, I develop stories in my mind.

I sit then at the airport waiting for my flight and watch the Diamond level travellers wondering how they do it. I'm a Gold level flyer nearing in on Platinum but not sure how one can possibly reach that 125,000 mile level.

So I imagine their stories, the kind of work they perform, the time spent away from home and wonder could I handle it. There is the pastor traveling every Sunday from Atlanta to Los Angeles, pastoring two churches. He is impacting the lives of hundreds of people while traveling on a modern day donkey. Think about that for a moment and then read on.

What of the consultant as she travels cross country providing her expertise to international companies. Do her kids grow more quickly with each passing week?

Are their stories any different than our own? I dare to say that our stories are different only in varied shades and colors. But they are the same in how each of us are working towards a life of success that contains great relationships, love of family and friends and an expectation that our dreams will be fulfilled.

So what I try to see in the stories of these people are the good things they try to accomplish. I see the same struggles that each of us are going through. I see great possibility and hope for everyone to achieve greatness.

And I see it in you even though I don't know you. I see all things are possible in your life regardless of your own story. Maybe I'll even see you walking by one day and imagine your own story. Do not be alarmed by the thought. Be gladdened in knowing all of my stories of people have great endings.

That means there is at least one person out there who believes in you. One person that is cheering for you and for great things in your life. Now that makes two people that believe in you; me and you. The most important one being you.

I'll keep watching and please don't think of me as a stalker. Think of me as your greatest fan. Then cheer yourself on to greater things, to greater success and a greater life.