#005 — A Different Journey

When something is not in its usual place at home I simply can’t find it. “It’s just not there” I’ll say to Isabel, frustrated from 15 minutes of hunting for whatever it is. I have to keep things in the same place, or else they will be lost forever. Or until Isabel looks in the cupboard where it’s supposed to be and finds it on a different shelf than usual.

Since I have started focusing on remarkable, however, I find it everywhere. Often when I least expect it. A day can be transformed by something unexpected.

Commuting has turned into extremely valuable time for me. Every weekday I prove to myself that it is possible to turn something mundane, repetitive, and frustrating into something exciting, varied, and energising. I write a post like this. I create something original. I fit more creativity into half an hour on the train that morning than many of my fellow commuters will achieve that day. I say this not to boast but to show you what is possible.

Yesterday I found remarkable on my journey. I wasn’t looking for it so I guess, thinking about it, remarkable found me because I bothered to notice.

Every train journey is pretty much the same. At least one person will be watching TV on their phone. Somebody will be reading the newspaper on their iPad. Often another person will be on their laptop stressing about work. And a lot of people will be reading emails.

Over the tannoy the guard wishes us a cheerier morning than usual.

“If you’d like to take part, then I’d like to give you a small quiz this morning.”

This is different.

“What was the biggest selling single of the 1960s? Even Google it if you want to. I’ll let you know the answer just before we arrive at Waterloo. Exciting isn’t it?”

People smile. I see a couple of people get out their phones.

As we near our destination the guard appears on the tannoy again.

“It was not The Beatles but was in fact Ken Dodd with “Tears”. I hope it brought him much happiness. Have a good day.”

I found remarkable on the 6:52. A guard decided to lift a journey from the average. To turn a train of zombie commuters into a group of smiling people. Simply by thinking of what he could do to lift our day and putting it out there.

If such a simple thing could make so many people smile, what little thing can you do today that is remarkable?

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