Never Seen Before
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that wihich is done is that which shall be done:
and there is no new thing under the sun.
– Eccclesiastes 1:9
Have you ever seen something new? Something completely unseen by anyone except you? If you think about it, the opportunity to see new places for the first time is rare. Neil Armstrong, when he stepped out onto the surface of the moon, was the first person to see the lunar surface. James Cameron, the famous film director, recently decended 7 miles to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. He was the first man to do so. Sir Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay were the first men to see the top of Mt Everest.
But, such feats are rare. So rare that we know their names. They get written about in history books and have wikipedia articles about them.
But, what about you? Have you ever seen something for the first time? Ever made a unique discovery?
Without even meeting you, I can tell you that you have. If you have been lucky enough to witness the birth of a child, you no doubt remember the moment. That’s truly a unique first. You might not think so at first. After all, there are 7 billion people on earth and perhaps has many as 50 billion have ever lived.
But, each one is unique. Each one, when born is the first and only of it’s own. The same thing happens when you hear your child’s first words. They are utterly and completely unique, just as unique as the first glimpse from the top of Mt Everest.
But, uniqueness extends to even more mundane items. I love apples. Red Delicious are my favorite. (How fortunate that it’s also the most affordable.) An apple is a pretty bland looking item. Mostly round, with a stem. Anywhere from baseball to softball sized. Colors can be red, green, yellow or some mix of all three.
And yet, an apple is completely unique. When you pick up an apple, no one has ever seen the insie of that apple. When you take a large bite out of the apple, you are exposing something that has never been seen.
So, what’s the point?
The point has to do with people. Each person you meet is unique. Each person is unlike anyone you’ve ever met before. Each has a unique story and a unique voice.
I’ve never met a boring person. If you ask the right questions, everyone has a story to tell. Everyone is unique and interesting. If you come away from a conversation bored, it’s you who has failed to see the uniqueness.
Something to think about the next time you bite into an apple.
Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren.
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