Each weekday morning I sit in a church for an entire hour before I go to work. Being a New Yorker it is hard to find a private place to read, write - collect my thoughts - during the week, Churches are empty and quiet in the morning - Perfect.
One day I sat down in my usual pew, pulled out my notebook, my favorite pen and settled in - then I noticed in front of me, on a shelf in-between a Hymnal and a Bible - was a single Cheerio.
It looked like it had been placed very carefully (not too far back as to be unreachable but also not too far forward as to be noticeable) - it was as if it was being saved for later or possibly hidden from someone who might take it away.
I immediately could imagine the little hands that put it there. The short stubby fingers of a baby, the tiny finger nails and the specific way kids each snacks – one at a time – the baby had to be old enough to sit on Mom or Dad’s lap - probably with a tiny snack-size Ziploc bag filled with other bribes to keep quiet.
I stared at this Cheerio for a while - never thinking of removing it - only pondering how to preserve it. I wanted a set of tiny velvet ropes to put around it because I immediately saw this Cheerio as a message worth maintaining just the way it was.
Noticing that solitary Cheerio gave me instant happiness.
It communicated to me the joys of childhood and the beauty of growing up. Sitting there between two very adult books, in a historic church, was a little touch of modern day childhood. The child who left it probably was not old enough to write or speak, but they spoke to me. This anonymous baby reminded me not to take life too seriously and start my day by acknowledging the child that was always going to be within me.
Now, all of this may seem like a metaphor run a-muck - but really – that is what this piece of breakfast cereal gave me - and I immediately started to compose a letter.
I was inspired to write down my words of wisdom – what I had learned in life – so far - and what I wanted to remember:
1. Live Someplace You Love – If you don’t adore your community you will never love your home. After 14 years I’m still in love with this City.
2. Always have people in your life that are both older and younger then you – the older ones give you perspective and the younger ones remind you how far you have come.
3. Keep your time of doing nothing to a minimum – Life is to be lived to the fullest so when you do stop and smell the roses they will be even more fragrant.
4. Enjoy your friends as if they are fine wine – no one will mean more to you in the end because your friends are the people you choose to share your life with.
5. Have great posture - that way even if you don’t know what you are doing or saying you will always look like you do. Plus, you will look thinner then you actually are.
6. There is a rock at the bottom of rock bottom – no matter how far you fall you have the strength to get up again
And finally:
7. Always have a pen and paper with you. You never know when inspiration will strike.
I wrote these down, put them in an envelope, addressed it, sealed it, stamped it and on my way to work that morning I mailed it – to myself.
The next day the letter arrived in my mailbox and even thought I new what it was and what it said I was excited to receive it. I was excited to see my thoughts and values on the page. I was back in the church smiling at the cheerio.
John Adams once said, “let us dare to read, think, speak and write”. I think about that quote when I look at the letter or my notebooks, or even when I ponder my time here on earth.
Let us dare!
It takes courage to communicate.
It takes work to communicate well.
It takes the childlike nature - alive in all of us - to write a letter to ourselves recording who we are in a select moment.
Now, when I sit in that pew each morning one of the things I ponder is communication and the power we all have to share who we are and what we think and believe. All of us on Facebook, blogging or even the random singers on the subway each and every one of us has taken on the challenge to connect with fellow human beings and ourselves.
I shared with you some of my personal values, all sparked by the presence of a child and their oat filled calling card. What is your calling card?
What can we all leave behind for our family’s, friends, children and the generations behind us to know and understand about our existence and hopefully do better then us? I ask you to share with someone – anyone - your lessons learned.
I’m here trying to learn how to have as much impact as a Cheerio.
