Greetings, from the middle of the pack

I am the perfect definition of the “middle”. I was born a middle child, in the middle of the country and in 1987 given the most popular name. As I have gotten older I reflect back and realize it’s more than just biological timing and the cultural zeitgeist. I have spent a lifetime just existing among peers. I had a middle of the road athletic career, okay grades and professionally did just fine. This might sound like a bit of a downer, but the reality is I just pinballed around for a while. I wasn’t a loser, lazy or any other delinquent adjective but rather just confused on why everyone else seemed to know where to go.

Now that I am older, I wonder if we are like a herd. In the front are the pace setter, the decision makers. They run the fastest, and choose the direction for the herd. They are smart, confident or just sure of themselves. Whatever the reason, people follow their lead. I imagine when you read this, you have an image in your head of who that is. What is unique is how different it would be for all of us, but still I bet a few line up.

There is the back of the herd. They are a varied bunch. The elderly slowing down, those who can’t quite keep up and some who choose to linger. There is no ethical value assigned to these people, it’s just where they are. Much like the front of the herd, it’s easy to picture who we might put in that group.

That leaves the middle of the herd. Us, me and maybe you. Just people who aren’t leading the herd but haven’t fallen to the back yet. Maybe we move back and forth but we are always in the middle. It’s easy to consider your unfortunate lot in life but look at it like this, you are not alone. In the middle there are a few truths; you have limited space and you can’t always see the path.

No matter what you do, you are going to bump into your neighbor. So people in the middle have learned how to do that. Middle of the pack people see a broken down car and at least feel bad when they drive past. We help where we can, because we know what if feels like.

When you are in the middle, the view rarely changes. You spend most of your life looking at back of someone else, who you assume has a better view. Once in a while if the path opens up just right you can see the route ahead, the way the herd is headed. It’s exciting but doesn’t do much to change your place.

So why bring up the miserable fact that we are in the middle together? I think it provides us with a great reminder that even though we feel insignificant or overlooked, we are the bulk of the world. We are the ones who slow the rest of the herd to help those who need to catch up. We are the ones who take a leap of faith when those who lead take a risk. Most importantly, we are side by side, experiencing this run together.