I am ordinary, there are days my home is spotless and then there are days you will think a tornado ran in. I don’t aim to shop in the teen section and neither do I count the calories in my food. I am an engineer with an MBA, but I chose to give up the corporate world to raise a family. When I wanted to go back, I was told, I don’t have any experience, so I decided to shun the extraordinary and explored the ordinary world of teaching. Yes, I say ordinary because that’s how we perceive the noble profession of teaching. It’s sad. Many said, you are so educated, why? The question baffled me and I stayed silent. I get annoyed, frustrated and angry too and yet if I had to relive my life, I don’t think I would change anything. As imperfect as it is, it is extraordinary that an ordinary person like me has stayed sane on this planet 🙂 for 45 years.
Last week, I left you with a question ; Can you imagine how this world would be if majority of us were outliers? Today, we continue that discussion. The question is simple, Why are we so afraid of celebrating the ordinary? The world has become increasingly impatient, loud and obnoxious in many ways. Yearn more, strive more, grasp more, buy more, work more but sleep less, enjoy less and yes, eat less too. Why is the ordinary, average mediocre life not good enough any more? Don’t get me wrong, there are some genuine brilliant extraordinary souls who are finding cures, fighting wars to protect us and so much more. We need to celebrate them, but that should not prevent us from celebrating the crossing guard who keeps kids safe in the crazy morning commute hours.
Average, ordinary, mediocre; these words simply meant being human. Today they mean being losers. Why? The truth is majority of us will not end up in the Hall of Fame, and yet we shy away from celebrating the ordinary.
The world is obsessed with being the best. It’s a carcinogenic obsession with perceived malignancy and yet every generation is more stressed and worried than the previous one.
- Today, we are more lonely than before. Don’t blame FB for it. It’s not FB, it’s you. If the only thing I do is strive to be the best at everything at I do, I will not have time to enjoy the imperfections and learn from the failures. The truth is life lives somewhere between the failures and successes.
- The need for perfection kills creativity. If I try to write this blogpost with no imperfections, I will not write. Creativity needs editing not perfection.
- Forget smelling the roses, we all want maintenance free yards now. Having a yard is a lot of work, but there is an inert primeval satisfaction to play with dirt and watch the seed blossom into flowers. Sowing a seed is a pretty ordinary task, to see it blossom into a flower, that’s extraordinary.
- In our incessant race to perfection, the penalties for failure are high. A 5 year old worries about grades, a senior ready to embark on the an exciting journey into the independent world worries about being shunned for a less than perfect SAT score.
- Today the world is more connected, but humans are more separated. It’s always amusing when I see adults pursuing goals and keep mute about it. They share with you that they are looking for a job, but never share which companies they are applying to. They share with you they are taking a course, but never share why. They ask suggestions and ideas, but when you need one, there is nothing but the rhetoric. A relaxed vacation today is a reason for brandish conversations. So yes, we are connected but only to go farther away from each other.
- It’s deadly because we are shaming the ordinary.
Majority of us are not outliers and the world is optimized for the ordinary. We need to slow down, smell the roses and collaborate more. Ordinary tasks done well, become extraordinary.
Celebrate the ordinary. Now isn’t that an extraordinary thought!
Much love and until next time.
Shilpa.
