How To Recognize Significance

What makes something special or significant? What makes it stand out? To be honest, I'm at a loss of words; they don't convey enough personal investment or emotion that a person can experience. I can iterate traits or actions which makes me deem something as significant, easy, but to show my appreciation through words is entirely different. Now, to avoid the typical answers as to why a person is significant or why one thinks the world of this person, I'll tell a story instead.

The summer of 2007, I traveled with a group of jugglers to the International Jugglers Association (IJA) Festival. Every year it is in a different location, and that year it was in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. How does this picture have to do anything with juggling in North Carolina? It doesn't, directly at least. Above is a picture of my dearest friend, Viktoria, viewing the Blue Ridge Mountains. Relating back to the IJA festival, I met Viktoria during the week I spent in Winston-Salem. I didn't really even talk to her much until years after that, but she was someone that stuck in my mind. You can meet hundreds of people at these festivals, most of them jobless, hygienically challenged men, so a woman's presence isn't frequent. Despite the fact that she stood out in this crowd, my recognition of this certain girls personality has proven itself to be significant.

Jumping forward to the present day, I'm happy to call her my best friend, even though the 1117 miles from Minnesota to Virginia separate us. Technology has enabled our friendship to maintain itself and even grow. There were times when I wasn't as invested in our technologically based friendship, because I was busy, had limited texts, or some other reason. though over the past year I don't think I've gone a day without communicating with her in some way. Some might ask why such a relationship is worth maintaining, but I found that answer a while ago. Whether I was ecstatic, enraged, distraught, or dismayed, Viktoria was and is always willing to help. It's amazing how just simply talking to someone about things can make a difference. I know that I wish I could do more than offer my opinion or be a friend for her to confide in via text message or email, but I wouldn't give it up for the world. Rarely do I find something or someone that I can depend on as much I do with my best friend.

If you haven't found any significance in this photo yet, I will spell it out for you: The photo's significance isn't the beautiful mountains or the amazing lake, but the wonderful girl. She is the significance in this photo as well as a significant person in my life. When I can see past my love of nature and the unique scenery here, I can assure myself that this person is someone that I should stay close to. There isn't one single way to recognize significance, nor can I tell you how I found it myself, but what I can say is that once you find it, you know you've found it.