Just to prove that my mind can reflect on substantive issues (this, after my earlier posting about fling, flang, and flung), I wanted to write about a phrase I heard on the radio today: The ordinary life.
This was spoken, in passing, but stayed with me because it made me think, "Just what is an ordinary life?"
What is ordinary?
In my ancient Roget's College Thesaurus, synonyms for ordinary are: usual, medium, average, unremarkable, commonplace, regular, common, inferior, low, middling, second-rate, undistinguished. At first, I thought I would thoroughly disagree with inferior, low, middling, and second-rate being listed as synonyms for ordinary, but.......upon further reflection......isn't an ordinary life one that encompasses both ends of the experience spectrum?
If I lead an ordinary life, must I not expect highs and lows, ups and downs, heaven and hell, successes and failures, pinnacles and nadirs, calm and stormy seas, fast and slows, etc? True, but when the lows, downs, hells, failures, nadirs, stormy seas and slows occur all at once, an unbearable vortex can result, leaving one feeling as if they just got run over by a steamroller. Conversely, when the highs, ups, heavens, successes, pinnacles, calm seas, and fast lanes converge simultaneously, one can be left with a feeling of indestructibility and invincibility......a situation that usually does not last too long, either, because......
That is just not life. Life, by its very definition, is a series of experiences, some good and others, character-building.....that is to say, difficult. Charles Swindall refers to this yin and yang of life as being made into steel. His analogy is that of steel-making to life. Steel is produced after being subjected to a fiery furnace of unimaginable heat and so we humans are made stronger by the difficulties we pass through on our way to becoming steel-like. Not invincible, but infinitely stronger.
The ordinary life. We're all there, just at different points. Some of us are at nadirs, others at the zenith, and yet others on a comfortable shelf, somewhere in the middle. We shouldn't plan on getting too comfortable in any one position.
I've waxed thoughtful long enough. My next posting will be one of great import. Don't miss it!
Ancora imparo
