Extraordinary

I probably see a hundred things on facebook every day and most of them leave little to no impression on me whatsoever (kinda makes me wonder why I waste so much time there, but that's a topic for a different post).  But this quote, apparently by William Martin, struck me as unusually profound.  The more I think about it, the more I love it.  So I'm putting it here, so I can share it with you, and so I don't lose it.  I hope you like it, too!

Make the Ordinary Come Alive
Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is a way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples, and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.


Isn't that beautiful?

I sometimes wonder.  There are probably a hundred different reasons someone might look at my life and think I'm probably miserable.  I don't have enough money or a nice enough car or a big enough house.  If any of my children are actual geniuses or child prodigies, I have yet to discover it.  I don't have them signed up for five different sports each to try and mold them into one of those uber-talented child stars you sometimes hear about.  Three of them aren't even close to being able to read yet, and I'm actually okay with that.  I don't sleep much and I spend an inordinate amount of time doing mundane things like laundry, dishes, changing diapers, and soothing booboos.  I'm sure to some women this would be their description of hell.

But I think my life is wonderful.  Playing peek-a-boo while I change Colton's diaper is a joy  Watching him finally crawl properly and wiggle his little bum as he slides along is an exercise in hilarity.  Watching my kids playing together without me having to step in and referee is witnessing a kind of miracle.  Having my home clean and ready for guests is full of satisfaction.  It's a quiet kind of happiness that I think too many people long for, without even knowing it, or how they could ever achieve it.  And even though putting kids' shoes and coats and hats on for the umpteenth time can sometimes feel tedious, the truth is that I wouldn't have it any other way.

I find my life extraordinary, and never imagined I could have been so blessed.  And I want to teach that to my own children as well.