There's Always Someone Cooler Than You

In Jr. High One Act Play I got the role every guy wanted: playing the boyfriend of Jennie Wells. Jennie was a year older than me and one of the finest (we said "finest" in those days) girls in school. I thought I was cool until I realized that outside of the play Jennie hardly knew who I was.

My sophomore year I sank a crucial three-pointer and made some clutch free throws to beat New Deal High School. I thought I was cool until I realized a couple of years later that my basketball skills were laughable compared to those of collegiate players.

Upon graduating from college I was accepted into graduate school. I thought I was cool until I sat down with a fellow graduate school classmate to study and realized that his ability to learn was much more advanced than mine.

The musical artist, Ben Folds, says it best on the track There's Always Someone Cooler Than You from his Sunny 16 EP:

Make me feel tiny if it makes you feel tall
But there’s always someone cooler than you
Yeah, you’re the s***
But you won’t be it for long
Oh, there’s always someone cooler than you
Yeah, there’s always someone cooler than you

Could it be that Ben Folds is saying what Paul was saying in Philippians 2? Paul said:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.

Or in other words, "You're cool but so are other people. Pay attention to them. Listen to them. Care for them."

That's one of the things I love about New York City. There is always another story to hear or putting it more plainly, there's always someone cooler than you.