Whether we realize it or not, someone is looking up to us. Through the
best and worst of times, there is always another person stretching his or her
legs as far as possible in order to step in the same places that we have.
In Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s story, “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World,” average village people found a man who had drowned
at sea. The generous women of the tiny town cleaned him off, handmade clothing
for him, and proclaimed that his name was Esteban. But the story does not end
there. Esteban was not a regular man. He was, “the tallest,
strongest, most virile, and best built man they had ever seen…” When the women
discovered that he did not belong to the surrounding villages, they were
overjoyed that they could be in his presence for just a bit longer.
Though the
people of the village had no idea what kind of life Esteban might have led when
he was still alive, they were all inspired by the incredible man. He could have
been a homeless, rejected criminal, but they treated him like royalty. I can
only hope that people who do not know me would treat me with such kindness as
these people treated Esteban.
As common
village people, it would be easy for the endless days to run together, with
nothing to look forward to, other than the next day’s chores. Esteban’s visit
was a major event in their lives as it gave them hope and excitement. We can
see how much Esteban meant to them by their vows to make their doors wider,
ceilings taller, and floors stronger to accommodate someone of such enormous
size. Esteban did not give these people something to do for a day; he gave them
something to talk about for the rest of their lives.
I hope to one
day inspire others without having to open my mouth, like Esteban did. People
will look at me and say, “in fourteen languages, look there,
where the wind is so peaceful now that it's gone to sleep beneath the beds,
over there, where the sun's so bright that the sunflowers don't know which way
to turn, yes, over there, that's [Molly]'s village.” Esteban will continue to
inspire people as long as this touching tale lives.
