Ordinary Time!

I've shared with you that I was able to do some traveling in the past couple of weeks. It's always nice to get away and have a break from the everyday routine of life.

However, most of life actually gets lived in the everyday, Ordinary Time of life.  In fact, part of my spiritual life has included connection with a tradition that had various seasons of the year, and one of those was actually called Ordinary Time. While Ordinary Time was dispersed throughout the year, it was the longest part of the annual calendar of seasons when you added it all up. In other words, that tradition recognized that most of life is lived in the Ordinary, which means we have to learn how to live well in that everyday, Ordinary reality.  

The truth is, it's great to take time away and experience new places and new adventures, but that's only a tiny slice of life. If that kind of life was our regular routine, it would eventually become like our Ordinary Time. So it's important to appreciate the extraordinary, smaller times of adventure, but the real secret to living and leading well is to learn how to thrive and find the extraordinary in the midst of Ordinary Time! 

I think part of the secret to this is learning to see the familiar with fresh eyes and appreciation as much as possible.  For example (and I may have shared this with you before), I live in a beautiful place in Northern California, surrounded by mountains on three sides - East, North & West.  Even though I see this scenery everyday of my life when I'm home, most days I don't see these extraordinary views at all.  They just blend in and disappear. However, there are moments when I can pause a little bit, breathe deep, and take it in with a sense of awe and true appreciation.

And that seems to be the key to learning how to thrive and find the extraordinary in the midst of everyday, Ordinary Time - slow down, breathe a little deeper, and look around with a renewed sense of awe and wonder.

If you were to slow down and take some deep breaths today, then look up with some fresh eyes, what might you see that you often overlook? Besides beautiful landscapes, can you also see beauty in the scenery of your relationships? What else might be extraordinary in the midst of your Ordinary? How could you approach your Ordinary Time with a new sense of awe and appreciation?

Here's to embracing the beauty of Ordinary Time this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

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