Our lives are enriched—usually without our knowing—by countless people we’ll never meet. They are the people working behind the scenes, and a football game, a Broadway musical, even a cup of yogurt on a market shelf—to cite just a few examples—could not happen without them. In fact, this broadcast would not be possible each week without a host of dedicated people whom you don’t see. They do their work away from the applause and the bright lights, but they offer their best to worthy causes large and small. We should pause regularly to acknowledge the valuable contributions of people who work, often anonymously, for the good of the whole.
It’s natural that our focus would be on those out front—those in visible leadership positions, those on the stage, those who get the headlines, the attention, the standing ovations. But behind them are a multitude of others who go about their business, work just as hard, and do their best each day to support the good work of others.
Most of us are more like the supporting cast than the popular star. The limelight of fame comes to so few. But there’s a special sense of satisfaction behind the scenes, where we join the great mass of humanity doing our best to live lives that matter, to make meaningful contributions, to love others and to build relationships.
So perhaps the next time you watch a movie, see a football game, listen to a choir perform, or buy a cup of yogurt, pause for just a moment and think of those behind the scenes who, without applause or recognition, support the efforts of those out front. They make it all possible. We owe to them so much of what we love about life.
-Lloyd D. Newell