The one thing that will define you...

I often thing about this. My parents, aunts and uncles, graduated from university, got married, bought a house, had kids, raised the kids and now are retiring.

Just like that, everyone pretty much lived their lives in the same pattern. Not that there is anything wrong with the pattern, but I would like to look, dig and search to find one special thing in their lives sets them apart from everyone else.

My parents immigrated. That could set them apart from millions of people who were born where they died. My cousin Megan got divorced with a child and remarried last year. I think that's definitely not average and my cousin Marjan is 35 is not planning to get married or have kids. That's all the off-pattern behavior that I have seen around me! (no special high-lights, really!)

Mother Theresa saved many lives. Ms Clarkson and Ms Jean became governor generals in Canada (although they were immigrants, themselves). Kim Campbell became the first female Prime Minister of Canada. Shirin Ebadi won a Noble Prize. Hillary Clinton will probably be the first female contender in the next presidential election. Laurel Breton (my boss) became the first minister to give birth to twins on the job! Many became athletes and won medals for their countries. These people were all born average but they didn't continue on an average path.

Who stands out for you? Who do you think has pushed the boundaries of an average life and created a high-light for themselves?

Don't you think life is a waste if each of us doesn't create at least one high-light? As if it didn't even matter that we were born?