The most boring day
I read an article this week about April 11, 1954.
Turns out that this one day has been singled out as the most boring day of the 20th century. Apparantly – nothing of significance happened on this day. No births. No deaths. No headlines. So much so, that the announcer on BBC’s 6.30 pm new bulletin simply read out “There is no news today”
It made me smile. After all – what events are actually news worthy in our lives are ones that get no mention at all. Sometimes not even by our own selves.
I started to think about all the small miracles in my own life that have just gone by unnoticed by me. Like the day that I learnt to swim, or the day that I learnt to ride a bike, the last day of high school, or the day that I got a drivers license. Believe me – they were big days. For me.
The day that I stood on my own feet and got my first paycheck. The day that I learnt to say No to something I did not believe in. The day that I grabbed the chance that life offered me. The day that I met my best friend. The day that I began to regard my mom as a friend. Newsworthy days.
I’m sure it was the same for April 11, 1954.
Many battles were won and lost on that day. Many fates hung in the balance and were decided. Many people moved up, moved on, moved out. Fell in love, fell out of love or simple loved.
And for them – it was a significant day.
I think there is something for me to learn from this. To capture and celebrate moments as they happen. To have my own san sani version of Mumbai Mirror or People or whatever. To learn to view with moderation “news” I read about Brangelina or wars or economic crisis.
Because the real newsmakers and kingpins of my world – reside elsewhere. To learn to celebrate them.
So that I do not become like the 6.30 pm BBC reporter saying there is no news today. But find something in everyday that moves me.
Afterall – how I spend my time is how I spend my days and how I spend my days is how I spend my life.
