Autumn has definitely arrived in full force. The sun still makes an occasional appearance, but the days are getting darker and grayer. Will we get any snow this year? No idea. It would be lovely, though. Especially if we happened to be on a ship in the Caribbean at the time. 🙂
Speaking of snow, I'd like to ask you a question today. And once you've read it, I'd love for you to stop reading for a moment, close your eyes, and really think about your answer. Only when you've found one should you come back here and continue reading. Sound good? Wonderful. Let's do it.
Here's the question:
If you could preserve just one moment of your life inside a snow globe, so you could look at it whenever you wanted, which moment would you choose?
If you're anything like me, dozens of images and highlights probably flashed through your mind the moment you read that question. For me, there were memories of Anke and me in Los Angeles in front of the Hollywood Sign, impressions from our wonderful cruises, and countless other memories of extraordinary places. Of course, those pictures also included wonderful people with whom we shared those experiences.
And as beautiful as all those memories are, let's return to our very clear question: Which ONE moment would you want to look at again and again?
That's when something struck me. I wouldn't put any of those super-duper moments into my snow globe. Why? Because although they were extraordinary experiences, many of them were also connected to my projects.
So what would I choose? Meeting my childhood hero Michael Dudikoff? The event at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai? Eating a hot dog in some faraway country with dear friends from the ship? Going to a PUR concert with our Caribbean Rebels and Rüdi? Discussing the next steps of my screenplay with Anke and Phil in Hollywood? All wonderful memories. But at the end of the day, none of them is that one snow globe moment.
And now something interesting is happening. As I'm writing these lines, I already know exactly what picture I'd like to see inside my snow globe. My first feeling was clear. But now my mind is starting to interfere. “Norman, are you sure? Maybe something from the ship after all? Or Hollywood? How about a huge party with all your friends together?” Yes, that's a lovely idea, too. Except that with 50 wonderful people in one little snow globe, the picture would probably be so tiny that I'd hardly recognize anyone.
And the longer I think about it, the more I notice how that little chatterbox in my head is desperately trying to rewrite my original answer. Suddenly, it comes up with a thousand other possibilities that would supposedly be smarter or look more impressive. (After all, other people would get to see this snow globe, too.)
Sound familiar?
You have an initial thought or a feeling that seems absolutely right. But the longer you think about it, the more arguments you sometimes find for why you should choose something else instead. Except this question isn't about logic. Of course, sometimes it's good to think things through. But perhaps we should give that first impulse a little more attention before our minds drown it out with all their clever arguments. Often, that initial feeling points us toward something we've lost sight of in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
And that's exactly what I realized with my snow globe. We often look for our most precious moments among our greatest experiences. The extraordinary journeys, the special achievements, and all the things we look back on with pride. Yet we may actually find them in the people we share our lives with.
I imagine you may have experienced something similar. And if not, that's perfectly fine, too. Perhaps you can take this as a lovely invitation to look again. Look Again. Because at the end of our journey, it won't be the material things we've collected along the way sitting beside our bed and holding our hand. The ship will keep sailing, the hotel will welcome new guests, and somewhere in the world, the next big show will already be starting.
But the people we've shared our lives with will remember us. They'll remember evenings spent together, deep conversations, a laugh, or a hug. Perhaps even a completely ordinary Monday evening that became a special memory for them because something suddenly clicked.
And that brings me to a bonus question that has just popped into my head. This one goes a little deeper:
Who would be really, really, really sad if you were no longer on this planet?
Are different faces appearing in your mind now than when we started our little conversation? Look Again. Because perhaps those are exactly the people who deserve a very special place in your snow globe.
Wishing you a wonderful week.
P.S. Have I forgotten something? Oh yes, which moment would I actually put inside my snow globe? There was that little detail, wasn't there? 🙂
I picture a moment in which the most wonderful people in my life are all together in one place. My wonderful parents, who have always been there for me for more than 49 years. My wonderful children, who are all finding their own paths and making this world a little better every single day simply by being who they are and doing what they do. My sweetheart, my wonderful AnkeR, with whom I share a very special connection on a soul-deep level, and whose love makes even the most distant places in the world feel like home.
And you know what? I'd put myself into that picture, too. Because I'm wonderful as well, and I deserve to be looked at every single day with a smile and a heart full of beautiful feelings.
Know Yourself. Be Yourself. Lead by Example.
