Most of the time you will see stories of champions, leaders and the like but you rarely see stories of those who put these champions into the spotlight, those who worked their asses off to let someone shine.
Maybe, this post is something for those people — those people who are happy in the background, almost always forgotten, almost always the regular team member.
I am not here to convince you to pity those who chose to keep it low key. That’s how I view them – low key people.
I don’t want you to feel sorry for them because I am here to put some of my boxed feelings into words, into a beautiful narrative of how I appreciate those people in the background who actually make things happen.
This topic is no stranger to me. I, myself, is part of this pack that I would like to call as the “unseen” pack.
I remember one time when my professors decided to give out some recognition to all the hardworking tutors and team leaders for the Winter English Camp when I was in South Korea for an exchange program.
They called everyone except me. They forgot my name! 🤷 The thing is — I was part of the team who actually bagged the title during that camp. Haha! It was funny because it was not the first time that people actually forgot my name! As a shy girl, I told them that it is actually okay. Okay lang talaga, lol. No hard feelings.
As early as that, I know I am not “remarkable”.
College groupings.
Successful org events.
Team accomplishments.
A boss congratulated the team but forgot that I was part of it.
Things like that.
It happens all the time.
Sometimes, it is frustrating. As part of the generation where validation plays an important factor on how I view myself, this little thing makes me feel less at times. Maybe, you’re also feeling the same.
And true enough, I heard a lot of same stories of the best people I know who actually felt the same way. Most of the time, their efforts weren’t recognized. Sometimes, I feel bad. But most of the time, I have just accepted that it is part of the game.
There are people who shines with their brightest lights and there are people who have to dim theirs for others to shine. But dimming your light doesn’t mean you’re not good and not enough. Sometimes it means you don’t need to measure the light that you have. Instead, you try to see how you have made use of that light.
It is all about how you view things.
And to put things into perspective, imagine how many people helped our heroes to achieve freedom? But these people are often not recognized.
Imagine how many other people worked hard to make the first landing in the moon and yet, only Neil Armstrong has the greatest spotlight. Most of the time, only one shines over the countless of people. But those countless people are as important as Neil Armstrong.
So to you, who can relate to this, don’t be sad! They wouldn’t make it without you. After all, success does not lie in the recognition; it is in the relationships you have built and the lessons you have learned. ✨
And that’s how you shine not for yourself but for other people who appreciate your hard work. ✨
Cheers for all the people who made things happen and cheers to you, the silent and low key achievers of the world. 🍻
under the sun 