Anyone who has endured the painful Houston traffic (you know, the kind where you need to leave an hour earlier than you thought was reasonable to get to work on time), has noticed graffiti painted on the train tracks suspended above I-45 towards Galveston.
While simple street art is typically invisible to a speeding car whizzing past, there’s something different about the words quickly painted on the train tracks above I-45. It’s not the most gorgeous piece of art. It’s not overwhelmingly large. The typography isn’t that unique, but its message rings clear: “BE SOMEONE”
Graffiti, considered a criminal mischief charge in Texas, isn’t exactly an easy feat on a Houston highway. So why on earth would someone willingly climb onto the railroad tracks, in the middle of the night, to paint “BE SOMEONE” on a piece of wall? The unknown author risked a lot to get that paint on a wall, yet they’ve left the words up to the public to interpret.
This piece has always been so intriguing to me. Each time I drive past (which has been every single day lately…yay internships!), a sense of responsibility floods over me. Who is someone? What makes someone a someone? And more importantly: How do I become a someone?
The dictionary defines “someone” in two ways:
some·one
1. an unknown or unspecified person; some person.
2. a person of importance or authority.
“An unknown or unspecified person.” That can be a somewhat daunting thought. The more I think about it, the less unique I become. Writing for The Odyssey has allowed me to find a place to express my thoughts and opinions. Yet this site is filled with other writers who share the belief that their voice can influence the world for better. I am not the only student at Texas A&M, or even the only Communications major vying for a career after I graduate. I am one of the millions of people in the United States, and there are literally billions of other people wandering around the planet at this very moment. I am just some person, unknown or unspecified.
So I turned to the second definition: an established individual who has some importance. Only world leaders, influencers, celebrities, or well-known persons could be considered a someone. John Green, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, etc. (while this list does give insight into some of my favorite “someones,” it could go on forever), are all someones. These someones are captivating; they’re known, they’re special, and they're magnetic. In my mind, these people have the ability to actually make a difference in the world. Would channeling my inner influencer make me as strong and as noticeable as these well-known figures? Probably not. I can’t be someone else. I won’t be a celebrity (too much drama), I’m probably not going to win the next Nobel Prize (unless there’s a major change in my career path), and I for sure won’t be getting into politics anytime soon (same reason as the celebrity thing). I couldn’t ever replicate what these famous figures have done.
Under those definitions, Elizabeth Gentry, a college-aged woman from Houston, Texas with no impressive or earth shattering credentials, is definitely not a someone. But then, if I’m not a someone, then no one else I’ve ever come into contact with is either. My friends, family, acquaintances, and mentors, have all had serious effects on my life. Every part of my life has been shaped by the love and support of people around me. And that made these people important, valuable figures in my life. But no one I know could hold up to the definition of someone that I had created.
So maybe I had the definition of “someone” all wrong.
What is it about me that offers an opportunity to do something unique in this world? Being a “someone” might not mean being someone else. To me, it means going from an unknown or unspecified person to finding your own importance in our busy world. While there may not be a perfect answer, I’ve come to this conclusion: being a someone is being a person who uses their words and actions to positively affect those around them. Other people can do what I do, but I do it in my own unique way.
