To be somebody is to see
That is what it is all about
Seeing with the eyes and the heart
Being present among our neighbours
Some have eyes but don’t see anything
Others have eyes that can’t see
But still they see more than the most
Seeing is discovering and perceiving
What people see, tells you
What kind of people they are
To be somebody is watching a catastrophe take place
In distant areas of the globe
But being present through prayers and compassion
As you watch the horrible pictures on the screen
From your comfortable chair
In your warm and safe living room
Thousands of miles away
But still feeling the pain in your entire being
The pain of losing your dear ones
The pain of having your property destroyed
The pain of being left with nothing
The pain of not seeing any future
The pain of having no hope
The pain of watching the terrible effects
Of the earthquake tsunami in safe surrounding
Feeling out of place
Feeling inadequate
Feeling helpless
Not being able to help personally
But being out of touch
Your mind can’t grasp the magnitude of the catastrophe
Your heart can’t bear the sadness and the sorrow
But you are still watching and praying
– and sending your donation to the relief organisation
But the pain is still there
To be somebody is answering questions
Taking time to think
Stopping up to let the imagination run wild
As you meditate on silly questions
Or the deep questions of existentially concern
When you answer questions
– No matter how deep or shallow they are
– No matter if they are questions of real life situations or hypothetical sophistry
– No matter which area they touch on
Then you show that you take people serious
And you care for what they are concerned about
Only because of love for that particular individual
When you answer questions
Only because of love for people
Then you really are somebody
In a world of efficiency and self interest
To be somebody is looking for grace
And not be blinded by needs or shortcomings
It is to see God at work in people
Rejoicing in the small beginnings
Marvelling at the faith of the trembling steps into new grounds
Appreciating the budding potential
– in people longing, dreaming and believing
When you can flow with the grace of God
In whatever measure you find it in people
You will be able to help them grow
Bringing out the best in them
Stirring them to aspire for more
Provoking them to love and good works
You are somebody when you see people
Through the eyes of grace
Then you enable them to see themselves
Through the eyes of hope and faith
Ignoring the failures and dreaming of new adventures
As they rejoice in the incredible wealth of grace and kindness
Shown to them by God and their fellow man
To be somebody is to express oneself and having feedback
– from those who read or listen to us
– from those who observe and touch us
To be somebody is to interact with others
– because you love people
It is to communicate because you care
And staying connected because of the worth you find in others
The joy of being read
– is the knowledge that others take time with you
The excitement of having comments
– is the feeling that others take you serious
The thrill of getting feedback
– is the sense of being connected
To be somebody is being intoxicated
– by feeling of being in touch with the World
– the feeling of crossing borders
– the joy of breaking down barriers
– the excitement of getting rid of your own limitations
Being enabled to communicate
To people close to you and those from far parts of the world
To be somebody is releasing creativity in people around you
Helping them to leave the boring life of status quo
Launching out to explore the exciting life of creative adventures
The adventure of expressing themselves
In words and motions
In dance and drama
In oral or written form
In black and white and sparkling colours
Using pens and brushes, hands and feet
To unleash the impulses of their inner being
When you help people to be themselves
And to dare to express what they feel on the inside
Helping them to tap into the limitless reservoir
Of creative ideas deep down in their own heart
Then you really are somebody
For you are helping people to become a creative somebody
To be somebody is spending time in airports
Waiting for the next flight
Hoping it is not delayed or being cancelled
Looking forward to arriving the destination
To be somebody is to make time meaningful
By observing unique people hurrying to their gates
Or study those who are waiting like you
Spending time waiting for the next flight
To be somebody is to utilize the waiting time
– in airports or elsewhere
Through deep meditation or silent contemplation
Or by releasing your creativity
By writing simple poems
To be somebody is to infect people
By your joy and hope
By your attitudes of faith and love
By your positive words
By your wholesome lifestyle
By your acts of kindness
Great people have the capacity
Of enjoying being with people who are different
Sharing their life and values naturally
Great people are infectious
In the way they live and speak
Always giving of themselves
When you are not infected by evil
Not infected by the greed around you
Not infected by the envy you face
Not infected by the materialism of society
Or the fatalism of traditional religion
But rather infecting your environment
Then you are really somebody
To be somebody is the same as being great
Great people can be seen
– By their unselfish actions and their sacrificial service
Great people can be heard
– By their encouraging words and faithful confessions
Great people can be touched
– Through their practical involvement in our lives
Great people can be felt
– By the atmosphere of love, joy and hope that surrounds them
Great people have an effect on us
– They bring out the best in us
And creates in us a desire to change for the better
As great people has the capacity for enlargement
And the longing for change
That motivates them to never settle
But reach their full potential in God
To be somebody is being in the business
Of connecting people and
Allowing yourself to be connected to people
– Constantly reaching out to others
– Constantly breaking down barriers
– Constantly jumping over walls
– Constantly removing borders
Receiving and giving spiritual insight
Leaving comments and responding to e-mails
Talking on the phone and sending SMS messages
Touching, hugging and kissing
As you generously encourage others
Blessing them with your big smile
Accepting them for what they are
Receiving them into your heart
Lifting them up to God in prayer
Allowing God to speak to you
Through those who are different from you
Great people have the capacity
Of being joined in heart with a diversity of people
Each time they enter a covenant relationship
By the uniting Spirit of God
Their capacity for connecting with others is being enlarged