The Element of Rising to the Occasion and Its Hope for Understanding Ordinary People Can Do Extraordinary Things

Daryn Kagan said, “Bad things do happen in the world, like war, natural disasters, disease. But out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”

Indeed, if the airwaves are filled with war, natural disasters, disease, gossip and crime, we also hear about new heroes who emerge from tough situations every day.

Such as Chesley Sullenberger who safely landed a disabled plane on the Hudson River, saving the lives of 155 people.

Or Dale Beaty, who after losing his legs in the Iraq war, co-founded Purple Heart Homes to help build or modify homes for Iraq war veterans.

Or Dick Hoyt, who made his son’s dream of participating in marathons come true, and whom you have already met in my post How to Be a Better Dad in 2011.

History is filled with stories of ordinary people who rose to the occasion.

Florence Nightingale rose to the occasion when she decided to dedicate her life to improving the practice of nursing.

All the Rosie the Riveters, rose to the occasion when they put away their aprons and went to work to produce ammunitions for World War II.

We have to sometimes rise to the occasion, even when there is no war, no disease, no natural calamity, but when we recognize something needs to change.

George Washington understood being taxed without elective representation needed to change and he rose to the occasion.

President Lincoln understood slavery was something which needed to change and he rose to the occasion.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton understood denial of voting rights to women was something which needed to change and she rose to the occasion.

Mahatma Gandhi understood that colonial rule in India needed to change and he rose to the occasion.

Martin Lurther King understood that segregation laws needed to change and he rose to the occasion.

Nelson Mandela understood that apartheid and non-representation of blacks needed to change and he rose to the occasion.

But rising to the occasion doesn’t mean only doing great things which will be remembered in history.

In every chapter of our lives, we will need to rise to the occasion.

Every young adult has to rise to the occasion of completing high school, completing college, getting a job and becoming independent.

Every new mom and new dad has to rise to the occasion of becoming responsible caring parents even if they have a lot on their plates and no experience at all.

And every life change, expected or sudden, will need us to rise to the occasion.

The loss of a breadwinner

The loss of a partner

The loss of a long-standing relationship

The loss of an income or skill

We will often need to rise to the occasion without preparation, without advance knowledge and without experience.

In the movie Cinema Paradiso, a very young boy takes over for an experienced film projectionist.

Though nowhere near an example like that, when I decided to take up my first commissions analyst job, I had to do so without preparation, without advance knowledge and without prior experience.

The fact we are young or inexperienced is no excuse.

History is filled with examples of heirs to thrones, heirs to businesses, heirs to titles who had to step up to the plate without the benefit of age or experience.

King Tutankhamen, Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator,  Fulin, the Shunzhi Emperor, Mary Queen of Scots are some examples.

Opportunities disguised as challenges and challenges disguised as opportunities will be thrown at us throughout our lives.

This is life.

And we can either accept these challenges, or try to escape from them.

What opportunity could there be in suddenly having to become a caregiver to someone?

It’s an opportunity to be strong and capable and compassionate.

It is then, more than at any other time in your life, you will have to learn to take care of yourself.

As Naomi Judd says: “When you're a caregiver, you need to realize you've got to take care of yourself, because, not only are you going to have to rise to the occasion and help someone else, but you have to model for the next generation.”

In tough times, some of us will rise to the occasion and some wont.

In the book In the Heat of Battle: A history of those who rose to the occasion and those who didn't, author Donough O'Brien gives the example of Ross McGinness, Iraq war hero, who threw himself onto a grenade to save the lives of the four other people in his vehicle, and contrasts that with William Calley, who panicked under strain and unleashed the My Lai massacre.

What tough situation are you being called to rise to?

Whose life can you take inspiration from?

Nine times out of 10 when we think we can’t do something, we can.

For the truth is that we are not ordinary people.

We just make ordinary decisions.

But we are capable of making extraordinary decisions.

And it is our extraordinary decisions which will make us proud and give us a sense of achievement and satisfaction.

What is extraordinary for you will be different for me.

If you are afraid of heights, skydiving will be extraordinary for you.

The bigger the fear involved in something, the more entrenched the habit, the more extraordinary we are for conquering it.

Here are some of the extraordinary things I have done which I am especially proud of.

Moving from being a Tiger Mom and a Helicopter Mom to a Hippie Mom.

Getting over my anger issues.

Reinventing myself in a new career in the US.

I had to summon up the courage again and again.

Shortly after I took up my first commissions analyst job, just months after, in fact, my manager informed me she was going out on 3 months maternity leave.

When I first heard of this, I went into a full-blown panic. “Laura, how am I ever going to do the job myself,” I said, “I don’t even understand the formulas in the commission statements.”

But she reassured me I would do fine and I took her words to heart.

I did do fine.

In fact, Laura did not return from maternity leave and I ended up handling the job on my own not just for a few months, but for the next 5 years.

We are not ordinary people.

We just make ordinary decisions.

Anyone who decides to do something different, or start something new, makes an “extraordinary decision” and in doing so, rises to the occasion.

When I decided to take on the commissions job and keep it going without supervision, it was an extraordinary decision.

When, a few years ago, Ajay decided to host an MAA reunion, it was an extraordinary decision. The event has become an annual tradition and preparations are already being made for the third reunion.

When my friend Sharon decided to hold the first get-together of the Mangalorean Catholics of the Bay Area at Tildon Park in Berkeley , it was an extraordinary decision. Her decision planted the seeds for the future Northern California Mangalorean Association (NCMA)  which now has members in the 100s and four events every year.

I think of the folks who decided to start Occcupy Wall Street – that was an extraordinary decision.

Or the folks who decided to start the Tea Party – that was an extraordinary decision.

Every time we say yes to a first-time request, we do something out of the ordinary.

Such as when I said yes to creating and delivering a workshop to the GATE Students of Bertha Taylor Elementary school.

Or when I agreed to do a review of Anita Saran’s On Becoming Vegetarian – One Woman’s Experience, which was a first time for me.

I did not know if I could pull either of these off, but I rose to the occasion.

When Cindy wrote Flying Lessons for my blog, she rose to the occasion.

When Ajay wrote The Wonderful World of P.G.Wodehouse and the Oh Bangalore series (now a book on Amazon) and Cricket Glorious Cricket for me, he rose to the occasion.

When Jacinta wrote Kushboo and A Facebook Faceoff for me she rose to the occasion.

When Anita Saran wrote A Fresh Perspective on Pets for my blog, she rose to the occasion.

When James Cobb sent me Gleanings From the Teaching Company to publish on my blog, he rose to the occasion.

All of these friends (and relative) responded to an out of the ordinary request.

Benjamin Franklin was someone who felt dedicating our time to new projects is very important and even more so for governing bodies.

He said, “Those who govern, having much business on their hands, do not generally like to take the trouble of considering and carrying into execution new projects. The best public measures are therefore seldom adopted from previous wisdom, but forced by the occasion”

Franklin dedicated himself to many new projects.  Which is your favorite Franklin project? Mine is the public library. 

The first thing I did after coming to America was join a public library.  I would borrow more than 20 books at a time separately for Tanita and myself.  I was amazed. No matter how many books I took out, I never reached the maximum limit.  A few years ago, I decided to ask a librarian about how many books I could take out.  I was amazed at his answer.  100.  Yes, you read right.  One hundred books was the answer.

P.S. Almost every book I've talked about on this blog, whether 3 Simple Steps or The Available Parent or Feeling Good by Dr. David Burns was picked up from the San Jose Public Library.

If I like a book, I will often read it again and again.  I am currently re-reading a marvelous book called Write for Your Lives, which is a great prescription for Writer’s Block, or procrastinating in publishing your finished book, and which I can never get enough of.

Seize the day. Carpe diem.  If something is telling you to do something, follow the advice of Marcus Aurelius:  “Forward, as occasion offers. Never look round to see whether any shall note it... Be satisfied with success in even the smallest matter, and think that even such a result is no trifle.”

When you make a move, things begin to happen; courage and ideas happen, opportunity and inspiration happens. 

Yesterday I went to the office.  Because of the long weekend, the whole car park was deserted, except for one white pick up truck. I was scared to enter the building and I drove round twice debating whether to go in or not. Finally, I plucked up the courage, parked the car and walked into the building.  Wherever I walked the lights - driven by motion sensing - turned on; this made the fear go away.   Soon I was cranking away at my computer unafraid.

Yes we have to only begin to walk and the lights will turn on –the lights of courage and the lights of inspiration.

We just need to remember we are ordinary people, but we can make extraordinary decisions.

Go forth and make that extraordinary decision.

As always, thanks for reading and have a great day and week…..M…A Pearl Seeker like you.  Thanks to Abbas, Ajay, Jacinta and Subhakar for their comments on Facebook and thanks to the rest of you for your votes on Facebook and Pinterest.  Much appreciated.