Years ago, I was standing in a line at a Sci-fi convention in Calgary to get a photo taken with the legendary Stan Lee, the creator of the Marvel Universe. At the time, he was in his late 80s, and I thought that if I wanted to get a photo with the man, I should seize the opportunity while I had the chance. I mean, come on! The man created Spider-man, Iron Man, the Hulk and the X-men! How cool is that? So I paid for the photo op, lined up, and waited patiently for my 12-15 seconds to get my picture taken with a living legend. That's exactly how it works: You wait in line, move in when it's your turn, smile, take the photo and get out of the way for the next fan!

I happened to be standing in line with people who didn't get the memo regarding how this operation was supposed to work! Several fans decided to take the opportunity to try and have a conversation with Stan Lee. Some were asking for photo re-takes. There were even some who also wanted to take special action poses with the poor man. I understand the desire to want to make the most of an opportunity, but this was not the place. Step in, smile, take the photo, and GET OUT! That's how it works!

I felt bad for the volunteers who were doing their best to ensure everyone was having fun while simultaneously trying to keep these experiences down to 12-15 seconds per fan. After all, there were probably another two or more hours left in this lineup. When it was nearly my time to take my photo, I could see that Mr. Lee looked tired and annoyed. Why did these people seem to think it was right to take more time than they were entitled to take? I know they were trying to have fun, but life works best whenever everyone tempers their freedom with responsibility.

So, I stepped forward, turned, and smiled for the camera. Then I stepped away. Oh, I read the memo.

Then something happened that I didn't expect. I felt a hand gently touch my arm. I looked over to see that it was Stan Lee who looked up at me, winked, and said under his breath, "well done." He was happy that I knew how this worked. I may have paid $90 for a photo, but that unexpected interaction was priceless.

This little story could mean a variety of things for different people, but here's my takeaway. We live in a culture that often prizes freedom over everything else. Be responsible, don't jump ahead of others and be grateful for the opportunities that comes your way. If you do that, life has a way of granting unexpected joys.

Thanks for reading friend, In the words of the great Stan Lee, "Nuff Said!"