The lottery, Oprah, The Price is Right, and Reggis & Kelly all have something great in common: they target the most innate desire in each and every one of us — the excitement of being a winner, of being special. When we watch someone on the Price is Right run down the aisle after their name is called to come forward, it’s hard not to get excited for them. We realize that, at that moment, that person is incredibly special. We all want that feeling; it’s part of our human nature.
We all want to be special, and these moments in which big winners are so randomly selected gives us hope in our own futures. The idea of being specially or randomly selected fills us with life, with worth, and with dreams. More than that though, the unabashed joy that winners express is one of the purest human acts that we publicly profess. I find it inspiring to watch these special winners completely let their guard down in front of millions of viewers; they jump, they scream, they weep, they laugh, and most of all, they are both fully alive and fully themselves all at once.
Watching generosity being given to strangers can also fill us with a peaceful sense of benevolence; it is a refreshing sensation to know that there are people and organizations of great stature who have dedicated themselves to being generous to others.
These things ignite a great desire in myself to do the same to others; though my generosity is in smaller ways, it does not change the celebration and hope that it can inspire in others. I encourage us all to find ways in which we can celebrate the “specialness” of those around us. Give of your heart freely, celebrate the real expression of emotions and feelings, and be loud about the great things that are happening in life around you. Life needs some more Publishers’ Clearing House type celebration!