Mar 26, 2026 — Just Beyond the Spotlight
Take Two
No one should settle for a half-lived life.
WORDS TO WONDER
“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”
— Henri Matisse, French Artist (1869–1954)
PERSPECTIVES TO PONDER
Life is full of center stage moments.
The obvious. The loud. The things designed to capture our attention.
They demand our focus—pulling our eyes toward what’s highlighted, amplified, and expected.
But sometimes, the most remarkable moments aren’t happening under the spotlight.
They’re unfolding just beyond it.
Years ago, I attended a concert by Billy Joel. He was, as you’d expect, incredible. Hit after hit. A lifetime of music filling the room.
But what I remember most didn’t come from center stage.
It came from the edge.
One of the band members—a woman named Crystal Taliefero—sang backup, played the saxophone, and moved effortlessly between instruments. At one point, she was playing the tambourine, dancing in rhythm with the music, completely in sync with the moment.
Crystal Taliefero with Billy Joel
And then it happened.
She clipped her microphone with the tambourine.
The mic popped loose from the stand and began to fall.
I braced for the thud when the microphone would hit the ground.
But instead—without breaking rhythm, without missing a beat—she pivoted, caught the microphone between her knees mid-fall, steadied it, returned it to the stand… and kept playing like nothing had happened.
It was seamless. Almost invisible.
I remember thinking: Did anyone else just see that?
The crowd kept cheering. The music carried on. The moment passed.
But it stayed with me.
Because it reminded me of something we often forget:
Life isn’t just made up of the big, obvious highlights.
It’s made up of small, unscripted moments—moments that reward presence, awareness, and a willingness to notice what others overlook.
There are flowers everywhere.
Moments of beauty. Skill. Humanity. Surprise.
Most people miss them.
Not because they aren’t there…
…but because they aren’t looking.
Most of what makes life memorable doesn’t announce itself.
It happens quietly.
Just beyond the spotlight—waiting for those who choose to see.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY—MARCH 26
I’ve always loved history.
With only 365 days in a year, it means something remarkable has happened on every single one.
Today is March 26.
On this day:
Ludwig van Beethoven passed away, leaving behind music that still moves the world centuries later
Jonas Salk announced he had successfully developed a vaccine for polio—saving millions of lives
Guns N' Roses signed their first record deal, beginning a journey that would redefine rock music
And it’s also the birthday of:
Diana Ross
Steven Tyler of Aerosmith
Leonard Nimoy
And poet Robert Frost
When they were born, no one knew what they would become.
No one knew the music they would compose, the lives they would save, or the words they would write.
Today, there are extraordinary things happening we know nothing about.
People are being born who will change the world.
And maybe—without realizing it—you’ll do something today that will matter to someone in the future.
What makes a day meaningful is what we choose to do with it.
History isn’t just something we look back on.
It’s something we create—one day at a time.
What will you do today that might change someone’s tomorrow?
THE DAY MY TURTLES BECAME DUCKS
I remember the moment I decided I wasn’t creative.
I was in first grade, staring at a blank sheet of paper, trying to paint a masterpiece… and instead, I ended up painting something else entirely.
What happened next shaped how I saw myself for years.
It’s a simple story—but it raises a powerful question:
Are you living your life… or someone else’s version of it?
Read the full story: The Day My Turtles Became Ducks
BEFORE YOU GO
Life is more than the big, obvious moments.
Some of the best ones happen just beyond the spotlight.
We don’t have to have everything figured out—
but we do need to stay curious.
And don’t forget: every day, including today, holds the potential to become meaningful—if not historic.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living.
Kevin