Well I suppose the first thing we ought to do is define greatness. So while you take a moment to decide that for yourself allow me to set the framework for this discussion. I can't define greatness, nor can your neighbor for you, but you can for you. Because greatness is in the eye of the beholder. One person's greatness can be perceived as another's mediocrity.
My grandmother was great. She was the first African-American female hired by General Motors way back when neither ...women or African-Americans were plentiful on factory lines. There was a sort of nepotism in the factory business and after Grandma Hazel got on she brought on many others afterwards. Yes, Grandma Hazel was great. She stayed at General Motors long after she should have given her age. They liked my Grandmother so much they paid her to come in but she was no longer allowed to work on the factory floor. Too dangerous I suppose. Instead she would crochet. Yes she crocheted hats, scarves, socks, mittens for everyone who worked there. Every day she came in took her place somewhere in a quiet space and she crocheted. I can just imagine her white bosses being fitted for their winter hat and mittens during their breaks.
It wasn't until she ran out of things and people to crochet for did she finally relent and agreed to fully retire. The last thing she crocheted was toilet tissue covers. Or so the legend goes. Once she had digressed to toilet tissue covers she collected her yarn, her crochet needles and went home. They will never forget my Grandma Hazel and they might even miss her mittens and scarves. In my eyes, Grandma Hazel was indeed great.
So how do I define great? I define it quite simply. Great is as great does. It is making something out of nothing or making something that exists better. Great is inertia. It is a constant flow of improvement. It is energy. It is a levity of high spirit and laughter. Greatness is going against the grain. Greatness is daring to be useful. Greatness is doing what you once believed was impossible for you.
Greatness is inside each of us
My grandmother was great. She was the first African-American female hired by General Motors way back when neither ...women or African-Americans were plentiful on factory lines. There was a sort of nepotism in the factory business and after Grandma Hazel got on she brought on many others afterwards. Yes, Grandma Hazel was great. She stayed at General Motors long after she should have given her age. They liked my Grandmother so much they paid her to come in but she was no longer allowed to work on the factory floor. Too dangerous I suppose. Instead she would crochet. Yes she crocheted hats, scarves, socks, mittens for everyone who worked there. Every day she came in took her place somewhere in a quiet space and she crocheted. I can just imagine her white bosses being fitted for their winter hat and mittens during their breaks.
It wasn't until she ran out of things and people to crochet for did she finally relent and agreed to fully retire. The last thing she crocheted was toilet tissue covers. Or so the legend goes. Once she had digressed to toilet tissue covers she collected her yarn, her crochet needles and went home. They will never forget my Grandma Hazel and they might even miss her mittens and scarves. In my eyes, Grandma Hazel was indeed great.
So how do I define great? I define it quite simply. Great is as great does. It is making something out of nothing or making something that exists better. Great is inertia. It is a constant flow of improvement. It is energy. It is a levity of high spirit and laughter. Greatness is going against the grain. Greatness is daring to be useful. Greatness is doing what you once believed was impossible for you.
Greatness is inside each of us
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