With your permission, I’m going to
re-post a blog I wrote a little over six years ago. But I‘m doing
it for a reason.
Over the past few weeks I’ve come in
to contact with a ton of people who’ve been visiting Marquette.
Between bike tours, the Fourth, and just giving people directions on
how to get to where they want to go, I’ve spoken to visitors from
Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa, among other
states. Because I’m, well, me, I’ll often ask them how they like
the area, and they all seem to give me the same type of response, a
response I noticed in many people one weekend six years ago. So
that’s why I thought I’d re-post what I wrote then.
Because it’s just as true today as it
was when I wrote it.
Have yourself a great weekend, and
thanks for indulging me!
*****
(as originally posted June 28th,
2011)
I wonder how much of what we do in our
everyday lives, stuff we take for granted, also becomes an enduring
memory in the life of someone visiting up here?
The reason I ask is because of two
separate incidents that occurred Saturday. The first was early in
the morning, when I was out on one of my long, meandering runs. I
was coming up Front Street in Marquette and didn’t realize, until
it was too late, that I had inadvertently run right into a picture a
couple was trying to take of Lake Superior. Being kind of sensitive
to stuff like that, I apologized as I ran near them, and was told not
to worry--they were actually waiting for me to run into the picture,
so they’d have my silhouette in part of the shot.
Nice photographic trick, by the way.
The other incident occurred a few hours
later, as I was leading a private tour of 4 out-of-state residents
around downtown as a favor for a friend. People in Marquette were
out doing what people in Marquette do on a sunny summer Saturday;
they were out pushing strollers, riding bikes, eating muffins, and
shopping at the Farmer’s Market. They’re all activities we take
for granted because, like I said, that’s what we do on a summer
Saturday. Yet for the people I was showing around, these activities
were part of something. . .magical. They kept commenting on every
new sight they came across and every person they saw doing something
different & new. They took dozens of pictures of people out
doing what people around here do every Saturday.
They were entranced by our everyday
lives.
In both of those cases I just
mentioned, plus untold others that day, I’m sure, we, without
trying, suddenly became a fond memory for someone. We became part of
a photograph they’ll share with friends, and we became the subject
of stories they’ll tell for years. And we did this all just by
doing what we do every day, whether or not there are people taking
pictures or taking tours.
I have to admit I’m guilty of the
same thing, especially when I do something like go to Market Day in
Bayeux, France, and take a ton of pictures. For the people in that
picture, they were just going about THEIR everyday lives, picking up
food for dinner or flowers for their homes. It wasn’t anything
special for them; they were just doing what they usually do. Yet for
me, it was a magical moment, one that was photographed and shared
with friends, and one that will be talked about for years to come.
So the next time you’re out and about
doing the things you always do, the things that you take for granted,
remember this. Somewhere in your immediate area may be a person
who’s taking everything in, noticing everyone that’s going by.
They may see you walking, riding, talking, laughing, eating, smiling,
or thinking. And at that moment, just an average moment for you, a
memory is being formed for someone else.
A memory that will live on for a long,
long time.
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