When I first set my mind to writing the “About Meg (the goood egg)” section of this blog, I thought I would open it by saying “I’m just an ordinary 20-something”… but that got me thinking – what is ordinary? What is it that makes me ordinary? The fact I live in a semi-detached house in the suburbs? No. For many people that is not ‘ordinary’. The fact I went to school, have a loving family around me, moved away for university, have a love of reading and writing, have had 24 goldfish, three rabbits, one guinea pig, six hamsters and one dog in my 23 years on the planet? No, no, no, no, and also, no. While that is my ‘ordinary’, it certainly is not everyone’s.
I’ll refine that point with the following story. In summer of 2017, I visited the Norwegian Fjords on a cruise. The ship docked in a place called Flåm, we boarded a tour bus, drove off and stopped at a hotel nestled away in the mountains. We walked through the hotel, out of the back door and were greeted with this view:
“THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY!” I thought to myself.
I then realised the hotel staff were going about their business as usual, paying no attention to the view in front of them. How on earth, I thought, do they get any work done when this view is here? And I answered my own question by realising that they see this day in day out. It is their ordinary! Everyone’s idea of ordinary is different.
So I thought to myself, can anyone truly say they are ‘ordinary’? I concluded that I, for one, cannot. Not because I think I’m particularly extraordinary – I certainly don’t spend my spare time wearing a cape and rescuing people in trouble with my super powers. But because every one of us has the ability to do extraordinary things that often times we don’t even appreciate as being so.
I’ll give you an example. A few months ago, I saw a homeless man sat at the side of the street. It was a busy Saturday afternoon on that street, and dozens upon dozens of people walked past the man every minute. I thought I would stop and ask him if he needed any food or something to drink. He looked at me like I’d just asked him if he’d seen a giraffe wearing a sombrero riding a unicycle, before saying he’d love a sandwich and a coffee. So I went off, got him what he’d asked for and took it back to him. He thanked me, I gave him a few extra coins that I had in my pocket and went on my way. When I think about it now, all those other people who had walked past and awkwardly avoided eye contact or pretended they hadn’t seen the man were doing what was ‘ordinary’ in that situation. Alright, it’s not like I solved world hunger, but because I didn’t follow what everyone else was doing, I did something extraordinary – no matter how minor the gesture was in the long run. I think we all need to start realising that we can do extraordinary things on the most ordinary of days, in the simplest of ways. In that way:
“Every single ordinary person has an extraordinary story” – Cecelia Ahern
All too often, when we think of extraordinary people, we think of celebrities – people who may have some talent or other but often times have had a lucky break, which many other equally talented individuals have not been fortunate enough to have. I’m not saying many celebrities aren’t extraordinary in their own right – I’m merely saying I refuse to believe that only those who have had their lucky break are extraordinary.
On Sunday 9th September 2018, I walked the Great North Run. I did so with my Mum who has Multiple Sclerosis. From mile 6 she struggled, and myself and her friend supported her (literally) through the remaining 7.2 miles, suggesting several times she ought to stop and no one would judge her. But she didn’t. Her determination to finish was extraordinary. As I walked along, holding onto my Mums arm as I frog-marched her along the road, I looked at the thousands of people around me, all giving up their Sunday to participate in a gruelling half marathon in order to raise money for charity. It was amazing. Sure, Jeffrey who just ran passed me might be a sales assistant, Tracey who we passed at mile 5 might be a teacher, Susan just in front of us might be a receptionist – they might all see themselves as completely ‘ordinary’ people – yet here they are doing this extraordinary thing (and I’ll bet you most of them were straight back into work the next morning feeling as stiff as a board, which is exceptional in itself!) Yes, it is Extraordinary (with a capital E) that Mo Farah finished the thing in under an hour – but let’s not forget all those who finished it in more triple that time and yet achieved something as equally Extraordinary for themselves.
When I really think about it, I am surrounded by people who may be viewed as ‘ordinary’ (whatever that is!) but who are constantly doing extraordinary things. Try to realise when you do something extraordinary – no matter how seemingly small and insignificant it may be in the long run.
Take this quote:
“Never love anyone who treats you like you are ordinary” – Oscar Wilde
.., and think to yourself, ‘If I shouldn’t love someone who treats me ordinary, why should I treat myself as ordinary?!”
The title of this post is a quote from Jimmy Johnson, which I have had pinned on my bedroom wall for longer than I can remember. Today, and every day, give that little extra.
Love from, Meg (the goood egg) x
Meg the goood egg 