Do you remember where you were when this famous group burst upon the music scene in the United States? Do you remember what you thought of them? Did they have an impact on you, your life, your music tastes? Or did they simply not interest you that much? And for some of you reading this, you were not born, or you were very, very young, so you have history or stories OR you are watching the current round of reflections and celebrations of their impact.
It’s useful to at least pay attention to the cultural impact of four amazingly talented young men, even if you were not drawn to the music…and perhaps still aren’t….and that is at least one of the reasons to pay attention to anniversaries. They are a bit like throwing down an anchor. You stop, and you look, and you remember, and you feel. And you wonder: what did this period of time mean to me?
On the larger system level, what was the world like? The economy? The politics? The larger cultural values? What meaning did all that hold for you?
And on a much more personal level — Who was I? Who was I becoming? And am I the person I thought I would be THEN? How have I changed? How do I feel about the change? What do I embrace? What might I want to change now?
These are questions to raise at the time of any anniversary. And anniversaries include any of the noteworthy changes in life –A birthday, a wedding, the birth of a child — a job change, a major move to another part of the country or world, a graduation, a longed for achievement of an important goal — a death or loss, a divorce. Regardless of the joy or sadness of an anniversary, the important thing is to note it. Pay attention. It’s a passage. Celebrate it. Embrace it. Feel it. When we note the anniversary, when we reflect, we gain insight, and are then likely to move forward with more focus, more intention, and consequently more success.
Think about it and I’ll give you some ideas for more structured reflection.