An excerpt from the December issue of the Anecdotally newsletter We’re not visiting the elite tonight. We’re visiting everyday people. Because every one of them has a story. They moved through the cemetery, stopping at the graves of ordinary men and women— people history would mostly overlook. At each stop, there was a moment that connected. A choice someone made. A hardship they endured. A small act that mattered. By the end of the walk, the message was clear. You don’t have to be extraordinary to be great. … The stories that land most powerfully aren’t epic. They’re human. They come from small, specific moments that carry a bit of truth or wisdom. From this excerpt, I created the following lyrics (and the song above). Ordinary Men, Ordinary Women Lyrics The moon hangs low above the street tonight,No velvet ropes, no golden light,Just whispers in the shadows, soft and deep,Where ordinary hearts lie half asleep. The graveyard holds markers of broken dreams,No crowns of fame, no grand schemes,Just names carved deep in weathered stone,Each one a world, now left alone. Oh, every soul’s a song unsung,A story created, rung by rung.You don’t have to be the best to be great.Just tell your story, just be straight. It’s not the epic stories that count.It’s the small stories that mount up,Human stories that speak so true.Human stories that so few knew. The janitor hums a tune so old,The waitress counts her tips in copper gold,The barber sighs with scissors in hand,All creating farewells no one planned. Ordinary men. Ordinary women.And all the stories that might have been.A hard choice someone once made.A sadness that will never fade. Oh, every soul’s a song unsung,A story created, rung by rung.You don’t have to be the best to be great.Just tell your story, just be straight. Ordinary men. Ordinary women.And all the stories that might have been.A hard choice someone once made.A sadness that will never fade. Oh, every soul’s a song unsung,A story created, rung by rung.You don’t have to be the best to be great.Just tell your story, just be straight. Inspired by the Anecdotally Newsletter edited by Mark Schenk: https://www.anecdote.com/newsletter. Tell Me a Story Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tellmeastory.substack.com/subscribe
