Beauty in the Ordinary

Today is Bob Marley Day (1945 - 1981)

http://www.bobmarley.com/music/ (Bob's music)
http://www.bobmarley.com/life/story/ (Bob's biography)

In memory of the contribution he made to the music world, and the spirit with which he battled the Brain Tumor which cut his life short, I would like to share the following.

I find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see. The longer I live the more my mind dwells on the beauty and the wonder of the world.
– -- John Burroughs

The world is impatient and fast changing, and progress is relentless. Technology is advancing at lightning speed. Nothing stays ordinary for long, so take a look around you now.

Lean back on your personal observation deck and view the commonplace in your life. Notice the run-of-the-mill things in your world, those plain, everyday occurrences that are so easy to neglect.

Peek up at fluffy clouds that scurry across the sky like a bit of lace. Examine the folded bud of a flower waiting to burst forth in romantic color. Revel in the dawning wonder of a baby’s face and the laughter of the children as they board the school bus. See the kindness of a loved one’s eyes, the grit on the face of a mountain biker straining to make the hill. Enjoy the smell of a good cup of coffee brewing, the sound of a familiar Hi when you answer the phone.

See the beauty in the ordinary. Slow down and breathe the fragrance of the ordinary, the everyday things that sit along life’s way. Remind yourself often to stop and smell the flowers.

As you enjoy the ordinary, songs will flow from your heart. As you delight in the flowers growing in your neighbor’s garden or a bird warbling on the telephone wire, you will delight in observing the extraordinary “ordinary”.

The more you delight in the backdrop of the routine, the more you will discover yourself more satisfied, more graceful and more in touch with the divine.