When I was in high school, my English teacher had us write an essay called “This I Believe,” based off the NPR series. Over the years, the concept of that radio program has always been in the back of my mind. And, more recently it has been a topic of one of my journalism classes. What is it that I truly believe? And why do I believe it? In walking along the beach this weekend, I came to realize one of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes, is something I truly believe. So here it is: This I believe: We meet no ordinary people in our lives.
I didn’t know her name, and I couldn’t see anything but a small portion of her face as her parka and sunglasses covered her from head to toe. She didn’t say a word at first on the end of the pier as she came and stood a couple feet away to also watch the sunset. After the last part of the sun went below the horizon, Callie and I started to leave as we began shivering with the cold wind. I turned to the lady and said, “Well, you certainly dressed well for the weather.”
And, that was all it took. Immediately, she smiled. After commenting on how many layers she had on, she told us she was a local and that she came out on the pier every night to watch the sunset and take a picture. As our conversation continued, she told us she had had a series of health problems and the doctor had prescribed her a bunch of medicines. Not wanting to live a life on pills, she started walking. Walking along the beach sometimes at sunrise, sometimes at sunset, sometimes on the north end, sometimes on the south end. But, always to watch the sun. Soon, she said, her health problems went away.
She was anonymous to me, but after talking with her a while, she seemed like an old friend I bumped into in passing. Eventually, our conversation ended, and as we parted, I realized how special people are. How unique their stories are. How fascinating even the simplest lives can be. And, how you never know behind even a face as hidden as hers, how extraordinary a person can be on the inside. We meet no ordinary people in our lives. This I believe.
Callie and I went technology-free for the evening, so while we couldn’t capture our own version of a beautiful Atlantic Beach sunset, this picture is almost exactly what we saw:
breadness 