Just Because I’m Not Somebody
I’m creating a Nobody Club.
I will be the President of such club. And maybe even the Vice President. As the charter member of my club, I get to make the rules and give myself titles.
I’m not sure if I need a Secretary or a Treasurer. There are no funds to speak of…no meeting minutes to record. Yet.
I have a feeling this club will become THE club to join. I certainly know there are a ton of us out there — who have “accomplished” little, have no medals or awards to mark our existence. We are the un-club type of folk — the people who do the unnoticed work, day in and day out.
Working in a professional media environment, I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen the makers, the doers, the shakers. I’ve met the rich, the famous and the wannabe’s. I’ve watched them all, looked them up and down and made a few judgements. As we all do.
In our craving culture, everyone wants to be a Somebody. Most people want to belong — want to be on the inside (wherever that is.) They want to be listed on the Somebody Club Registry — an accepted, card-carrying member of the elite, the ones who matter.
But it’s not real. It’s a fancy facade.
We do not belong. Not in the way that we think anyway.
I do not belong to a country club (although my grandmother did.) I do not belong to a committee or a board or an activist organization. I do not have a gym membership (although I have.) I have been a member of a few actors unions — but they are all on hold. I do not have season tickets to anything.
But I have paid my dues.
In my Nobody Club, the dues are paid in sweat equity. The work you put in to the Nobody Club is what you get out. There is no free ride.
We are not a club of wishers — although we love to dream. We are practical. We do what we need to do…and try and let go of the rest.
We understand the power (and annoyance) of obligation. Because we bathe in it everyday on our commute to work. We accept that our jobs may not be our passion with a Capital P. We look forward to payday. We show up to family events, buy thoughtful gifts and smile even though we aren’t always feeling it. That’s what Nobody’s do.
In the Nobody Club, I will abolish all taxes. There will be no EZ Pass toll to pay. We know you’ve been gouged enough by the Somebody Committee that you deserve a break. We members of the Nobody Club understand the value of a dollar — because we were taught money doesn’t grow on trees. We don’t have an old oak in the backyard, sweetly swaying with the green stuff. We have to dig a little deeper, shovel a little longer to reach our gold.
We Nobody’s make regular contributions to society through decency and kindness. We take care of our families and reach out to our friends. We take our responsibilities seriously. We don’t receive engraved plaques or get street signs named after us for doing the right thing. We borrow the Boy Scout motto to Do Our Best — because that’s all we’ve got. We Nobody’s belong in a silent way — no parades or fanfare or spotlights needed.
It’s easy to feel like an underachiever in today’s culture. We seem to only mark the big successes instead of the little wins. Many of us feel the “just because I’m not” recognized shame, wondering daily if we matter. And the solid answer is Yes. We do matter. More than accolades and blue ribbons will ever show.
The world needs more Nobody’s. These club members are the bedrock of every society. They are the foundation upon which we can rely — when the glitz and glamour of fame and recognition begins to fade. Nobody’s medals don’t tarnish. They shine eternally bright.
