A friend posted this on Facebook this morning.
Quote from The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents by William Martin
It is a quote from William Martin’s book, The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents. I was so touched by the quote that I ordered the book in paperback so I can read it and then pass it on to Chad and Nicole. I think the quote above is a good lesson for adults, as well as children.
A philosopher I am not but the first line really struck me . . so often we strive for extraordinary and fail to see the wonder of ordinary. I want to be the best I can be at everything I do but I don’t care if I’m not the best in the world at whatever it is I’m attempting to do.
As I sit here on my porch on a cool late summer morning writing a blog post, watching the chickens chasing grasshoppers, looking out at the fruit trees beginning to lose their leaves . . I think how extraordinary our ordinary life is. Many would see our life as boring and anything but extraordinary.
Some days as I’m looking at pictures I’ve taken, I wonder if I’m the only one who thinks the pictures are amazing or if everyone else thinks .. yeah .. what’s the big deal?
Rain
We were headed to town over the weekend and this is what the sky looked like ahead of us. I thought the sky was amazing! I was saying to Vince “Pull over so I can get a picture”. After looking at the photo, taking through a dirty windshield in a moving car, I thought . . it isn’t even “blogworthy” but then I thought . . I share my life on the blog and that view of the sky, to me, was worth photographing and sharing.
As I read the above quote, I tried to think back to the most extraordinary food I’ve ever tasted. I can remember having foods that I thought . . I wan to eat this again and again! I remember thinking . . if no one was looking, I’d like my plate! But, was it better than a warm, fresh tomato freshly picked from the vine? Was it better than a strawberry that I found hiding under a leaf . . at that perfect peak of ripeness? Was it better than a serving of green beans, picked and snapped just hours before? No! The ordinary can be extraordinary.
The ordinary is extraordinary . . if we take the time to see it.
Perspective . . it’s all in how we look at things. I hope I never overlook the ordinary while looking for extraordinary! I want my life to be extraordinarily ordinary and I think it is . . every day occurrences . . nothing spectacular to many folks, but an amazing life in my opinion.
Jean T. says
It’s all the little things that make for a wonderful life. Thank you for sharing.
Dottie says
Love this. Thanks for sharing.
Mary Jo says
Wonderful post! Thanks for sharing this with us.
Sara F says
Wonderful post. We all need to stop a moment and appreciate the ordinary. Thanks for sharing.
Lavonna C says
Thank you for sharing. You expressed my sentiments exactly. I too love my extraordinary ordinary life!
Anita says
It IS the little things! I was pretty happy to see a volunteer plant growing near my compost pile. I thought at first maybe a squash but then the fruit looked like pumpkins. Then, in a few days, I KNEW they were pumpkins. I’m looking forward to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving – from a volunteer. I didn’t even have to work for it!
Bon says
Great post, Judy. I love the picture, too.
dezertsuz says
Great post, Judy. You are so right. I try to remember to be grateful for all the little things, the little blessings, every day, but sometimes I forget, and then I feel like I missed something important.
Terri says
Love this post! I love reading about your days, I find it anything but ordinary.