The blogosphere has included a fair number of posts about 24 in the recent days. I've only seen the first season, but I actually got to edit the pilot episode as an exercise while in film school. In other words, I don't know all that much about Jack Bauer. I do know that he's saved the world a few times in a couple twenty-four hour periods.
Which is great.
But my life isn't like that at all.
Granted, I don't work for the CTU and my name isn't Jack--which means I'm not a doctor either. So, maybe that's what's holding me back from greatness. I mean, it's been a long time since a Luke did anything super important--like bring balance to the universe.
No, my life is rather mundane. I have a pretty wife, but she doesn't work for the CIA. I don't have kids as they are currently in Kyrgyzstan. We have a pet rat, but, doesn't everybody?
In fact, most days are predictable and devoid of much more than bad weather to mix things up. I'm glad for that, in many ways. I like routine and consistency. Sure, I want a bit more--like kids--to be part of my life, but I don't need to be diffusing bombs with computer viruses, performing blood transfusions with sea urchin spikes, or saving my daughter from a cougar.
But I do want my life to be meaningful and important. And I find myself thinking that if I was just in this or that "place in life"--then, then I would be important. Then I could make a difference.
The problem is that such thinking can distract me from focusing on what I should be doing, and working on the aspects of my life that do make a difference. Nothing huge, but important. How I treat my friends, how I talk with my wife, how I go about my work... all of those things have huge implications for my life and the lives of those around me.
Every day.
So, whether you're changing diapers, pushing papers, or waiting on a government agency, don't forget:
Even Jack Bauer has to sleep sometimes.
And often the greatest heroes go unsung every single day.
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father
Danielle, I didn't have your blog in my feed. It has now been added <smile>. Look forward to hearing more about your adventures, both exotic and mundane <smile>.
Lisa, I saw those cute little guys on your blog <smile>. Unfortunately, I didn't really have anything to say. ...so... umm... I didn't. Sorry.
Melonie, we've heard that the broken fence in our backyard is from a bear. Not sure if it's true, but it sounds cool <smile>.
Angi: Amen. Preach it! <smile>
Heather, I saw the picture on your blog, but I didn't realize how much significance it had. That's way cool. I can't do spaghetti due to my wheat sensitivity, but I like rice and spaghetti sauce; we call it "ricetti" <smile>.
Thank you all for your comments, and may you see the difference you made today, even if it wasn't exactly saving the world <smile>.
~Luke
Excellent post as usual. I'm taking a picture a day this year of something that describes our day. I've done 12 days and I'm thinking that our life is pretty boring. We eat, we do school, we play together, we read a lot, we are all very happy when Daddy comes homes, we sleep and repeat. Yesterday I took a picture of the spaghetti we had for dinner. Because it's my oldest son's favorite food and he ate three helpings and that makes the mundane less mundane and a little more important, at least to that oldest son who had requested that particular dinner. To him, spaghetti (and, by extension, his mother listening to him and adding it to the menus even though he knows I don't love it) is pretty important. I need to remember that.
Oh, and I've never watched a single episode of 24 lol
Today I turned the page to a 'new week' in my planner. The weekly quote that was there to greet me read as follows:
"If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing."
How befitting for your post. Do you know who penned those words?
-Benjamin Franklin
May we all be willing to be the greatest in our circles by being the servant of others.
Great post, Luke. I haven't watched any seasons of 24 *GASP!* so you actually clued me in to some of the things that have happened on it. Cougar-eating children....hmmm, must've been filmed where we lived in CA..... we had cougars in our backyard. Literally. Good times.
I'll remember this post with the next diaper I change and the next service member I walk past at the PX. :-)
And sometimes we forget our 'heroes' live right alongside us - my dh is my hero, especially when he gave in to his 3 girls pleading today and agreed we could keep our 3 unexpected new baby guinea pigs, and only grumped a little at us! No SL today - we had some living science x
amen. Thanks, Luke, I am right now struggling with accomplishing the "mundane" tasks of life. I'm in the shadow of some huge changes coming up soon (moving to a new country, for instance) and have found myself neglecting such simple things as school and work and housecleaning... thanks for the reminder that these are the places where true heroes are made, not necessarily in the "big" stuff.