We laughed together about my predicament, and he thought back on his own story. He talked about his career, about the opportunities that sprung out of nowhere, the many paths he almost took. But most importantly, he talked about the people he met and how their stories had inspired him. It’s important to hear from different people, he said, those journeys can help clarify your own path. He encouraged me to seek out those around me, to see what I could learn by listening.
Over the next few months I started what I called my “People Project.” I spoke with a former ambassador who told me about his diplomatic career in Afghanistan. I chatted with a thrift shop owner and businesswoman who talked about her upbringing in Rwanda. I even talked to a former police chief turned Santa Claus who loves his new job.
Through these conversations, I learned everyone has a story, and that every story is interesting if you ask the right questions.
Over the past two years, I have gathered more than 70 of these stories, writing about them and sharing them with my local radio station. Through these conversations I’ve been reminded that you don’t have to travel to far off places to find exciting people or to be inspired.
I still live at home, but my eyes and ears are now much more open to the possibilities all around me. It turns out that my tiny terrarium was full of life. I just wasn’t looking for it.
With a Perspective, I’m Francisco Kilgore.
Francisco Kilgore’s stories are produced for KSVY, community radio in Sonoma.
