ORDINARY IS SPECIAL IF PASSED THROUGH THE HEART

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I don’t quite remember who said this…. “Ordinary is special if passed through the heart.” Or maybe I simply forgot to write down the name. I found this quote on a small slip of paper as I sorted through old files intending to remove stuff which no longer serve its purpose. It’s regularly done to keep files down to the minimum because I don’t have much space to hold things and stuff in the house. Having the penchant for taking down notes or anything worthy for the writing (done 24/7 anytime-anywhere-anyplace), I would say to you yeah indeed ‘have gathered so much to fill up several plastic bins which have made our limited store room space its permanent home. So before the room explodes to the rafters like a paper bomb, I might as well make serious effort to trim it down to manageable levels. Thus the frequent sorting.

Now back to the quote…..

It made me think…..

Firstly, several things are rendered or labelled ‘special’. Those could be experiences, moments, things, possessions, places, and people. Maybe a particular song which brings back lovely memories every time it’s played on the radio. Or maybe there’s a particular brand of car which you hold dear to your heart because it was your first car bought with your own pay check. Or you consider this particular person a very special friend because he or she has stood by your side through thick and thin through the years. Or you simply can’t make yourself discard this sweater which apparently has seen better times because you wore it on your first date. 

But have you thought about this, it’s not really the thing per se which makes it special. Although some things are regarded special by some people for its artsy design, high monetary value, or being itself exotic and rare. 

A song is just one of many thousands composed... a car one of several brands on the market… a friend one of dozens in a select group you’ve bonded with… and the sweater one of three items you wear to fight off the cold on occasions. Just the ordinary usual familiar everyday things in our life journey. Which usually are commonly ignored or taken for granted. They're just there.
Until…..
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..These things pass through our hearts ...touching it ---creating experiences, milestones, moments, memories. We are made happy or sad by it. But each time we would respond to it too…with our hearts.
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That, in any language, makes it special. Very special.
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Have a lovely weekend, friends. God bless you. I SEE you. YOU are special.

GREATNESS -- THE TINY SEED WITHIN

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It's the little things which truly reveal greatness. Not always or necessarily in the grand or grander gestures that man throws at the world. Sometimes done simply for show by some. Rather it's that tiny kind thought or the tiniest glimmer of compassion behind the giving.... behind the smile.... behind the helping which points directly to an outstanding character or heart ..or the awesomeness of the soul.
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It's what Mom would say 'the extra mile - the extra touch' which separates mediocrity from greatness. She would urge me to look for that mark of greatness in people. It's there, she says. Just pay attention. Sometimes though they don't know it themselves because it comes through quite naturally in them. Often too we don't notice it nor give it much attention -- we take for granted those things which we shouldn't. Our bad.
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I guess what she means by 'the extra mile' are those things which a person does out of --- pure generosity... sympathy.. compassion.. understanding.. empathy... care... concern... solicitude.. sensitivity... charity... mercy... tolerance... humanity ---- and acting upon it a little bit more than ordinary.
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Thinking more of the other than of one's self. That isn't always easy. We were raised to think and believe that nothing or no one else in the world matters but ..... I, me, mine, and my. What others do with their life is their business... ours is our own to tend.
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We create walls.. fences.. gaps.. borders.. lines... to keep others out of our lives. Anyone who might cross it is a threat. Only when what they do or can offer serves our best interest would we be inclined to welcome them into our world and space or we in turn would enter their own.
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It really is a solitary and disconnected life we're living, after all. All our fault.
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Yet Mom would remind me that 'greatness' is still in everybody's nature as basically man is created good. By God's design. The thing is it gets buried deep down by the meanness and cares of the world. So then people forget to be kind.... to be human and humane.
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But it's there. And it slips out sometimes, as called forth by some divine intent. Sometimes in bits and pieces. You will miss it if you don't watch for it or look harder. Pay attention. Greatness sometimes comes in small packages.
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God bless you.

WHAT'S A SUNDIAL IN THE SHADE

Never think that you can't. Just because you see somebody shining brilliantly in what he does, it does not mean that you can't do just as well if not better with your own. Maybe the problem is - you haven't given it a big try. I say Big because there are admittedly small tries, feeble tries, fearful tries, and indifferent tries. What you get depends on how much you put in. Make that your first and only rule.

Humility is good. But again there is false humility, misplaced humility, fake humility, and proud humility. The genuine kind is one that honestly knows his own capacity for greatness alongside his limitations. But the latter does not worry him at all because he understands that it is not his inadequacies which define him as a person but his strength to be the best of what he can be and with this do the good he wants to see in the world.

Ordinary maybe but sometimes there lies within a miracle waiting to be born. A miracle when someone does an ordinary thing extraordinarily. And the world applauds. Never underestimate ordinary -- within its cover is potential.

So then.....

"Hide not your talents, they for use were made.
What's a sun dial in the shade?"
-- Benjamin Franklin

THE EYES OF THE HEART

Most of the beautiful things in my life came via my heart. I feel so lucky and thank God to be so blessed to have seen them through the eyes of my heart. Such a beautiful experience of which such delight and pleasure is unparalleled by anything man can conceive. But funny that some of them were the ordinary taken-for-granted unnoticed sometimes mundane things which most people would simply pass by or ignore. Oh they missed it and so missed the chance to be one with beauty - peace - joy - love in its purest form. What is its purest form, people may ask. I can say a thousand words to describe it but none would be adequate. Maybe I could draw it but it won't do justice either. Or maybe I could sing it but the song would come out flat. And do you know why those tangible expressions won't do? It's because.....

"The most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even touched.
They must be felt with the heart."

Magnificent, isn't it? Golden lines from Helen Keller. I admire this strong and courageous lady. She contributed so much to the world, far more than people who have sight and hearing. She knew so much more how to live life than most of us do or pretend to.

I thank Parth and appreciate it that he sent me this quote in a forward mail today.