For two days now something has been eating at me; the feeling of a missed opportunity. And it is one I will probably never have the chance of again. The other night, I went to see Inge Auerbacher speak on her experiences as a Holocaust survivor. She was very colorful, great at detailing what happened, and shared an important message for all of us in attendance. At the end of her presentation there was a reception where you could meet her, see relics from her past, and even buy a book to get signed. I had just come off a long photo shoot before the lecture so I was really tired. I walked into the reception, looked around for about a minute, then left and went home. It wasn’t until the next day that I felt upset with myself for not having stuck around to meet her and buy a signed book. And anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE history buff. Years ago when I was in college, I made a documentary about what life was like under German occupation in France during World War II and interviewed three ladies who lived through it. The film won a big award and I got to even speak at film festivals as well as even present the three ladies at one in particular. Inge would have been the first Holocaust survivor I had ever met, if I had just taken the time. That’s when I began thinking about how important it is to never miss an opportunity in life.
I turn 35 this month, and as I do with each approaching birthday, I start reflecting on my past. I have done so many unique things that most people will never get the opportunity to do. And it is all because I took chances, never settled for normal, and kept pushing myself to experience as much as I could. If I had never taken the challenge of creating a documentary about life under the Nazis, I would have never met three amazing women who I became friends with, and even accompany one back to France for her last visit. Was I afraid of making a film about such a sensitive subject with them? Absolutely! But I did it anyway, and it had a huge effect on my life and who I am today as a person. And furthermore, it is always best to learn history firsthand like that, something that young people especially need to do before older generations are gone.
But the bigger picture here is to never miss an opportunity you have, no matter how small. You just never know what it will bring you. Life is short, take nothing for granted.