The beauty of an ordinary life

It was one fine afternoon. Me and my friends had all gathered up in a room. Some were sitting in bed. While some of us were sitting on the floor. We had a presentation coming within an hour or so. As we had already prepared, we had all the free time in the world. I was just sitting on the floor along with my friends. My friends then started playing songs along with their lyrics. Time like these are precious while staying with friends. Then, all of sudden world cup songs were being played in the loudest volume. The sight was delightful, reminiscent of our childhood. What was more delightful was to see my friend who started dancing. He didn't care about the surroundings, what time it was, what we were supposed to do in an hour. Rather he was bouncing to and fro singing the broken lyrics of the foreign language he didn’t know, out of tune of course and in the loudest voice in the center of the room all alone. Honestly, I was quite taken aback. I could see how my friend was enjoying himself. And we also enjoyed together with him, vibing along his vibes. After that, song suggestions flew all over the room and he was busy playing the songs recommended. Suddenly, they played Scientist by Coldplay. Then, the atmosphere slowly settled into peace. It was very soothing. I took out my phone and began writing this in that typical afternoon slump wanting to capture the moment. It was peaceful. It was beautiful. It reminded me of us. How we had worked. How we still had some work. How we had visited places. How we still had places to visit. Years later we will be in on our own journey. We were going to treasure that moment. The moment as ordinary as that where we were not doing anything of value according to society. Where we were just by ourselves in the bland version of ourselves yet enjoying with whatever we have. Indeed it was true, the most beautiful moments of life cannot be expressed through words.

Moments like this again reminds me of that evening while I was returning from the library. That day, the sky looked tinted and a little dusky. I was alone by myself. Didn't know how long I had stayed in the library but all I remember was this feeling. As I was passing by the corridor, this feeling of pleasantness. There was nothing that sort of fancy thing happening at that moment, I will tell you. Everything was subtle. Yet something was filling me up. As I was peering out of the window, I thought to myself, no one would know where I was, what I had been doing, where I was going to head. And no one had to, it filled me with contentment. People say everyone feels like they carry the spotlight around them but moments like this reminds me of how despite my own spotlight dimmed, I was living the moment more peacefully than anyone else thought of it.

It makes me feel life is filled with ordinary moments like this which makes it so beautiful. Like the way back to home after clinical postings in the afternoon. When the street is so alluringly empty. So exquisitely vacant and I mean it. You just walk into it without much thought. There is a sense of peace in the air where I don’t feel the need to add anything extra. Where my own silence doesn’t feel heavy. Rather I would keep it that way, as I breathe in the air. Just a few moments ago, I was busy rummaging topic after topic talking with friends and laughing along with them. But now, my own shadow felt welcoming to me. I was happy. I was living. In ordinary life. An ordinary person.

Life is in fact a series of ordinary events like these I feel, like the wait in the canteen. Where I would mindlessly gaze outside of the window while waiting for my friend. The wait isn’t gruesome and tiring but feels like a time for myself. A space for me to think where I would watch outside through the window appreciating the environment. How tall the tree was. How it was gently shaking with wind. I would look outside to see the empty road and inside the bustling canteen full of energy and people. I would love to watch the trees more until my friend and tea arrived. I would even manage to steal some glances while my friends were talking over tea. And the fun conversations around tea. It's been long since the last time I sat on canteen. But still I would love to sit with people and talk mindlessly to people around tea. The conversation never that deep. With all jokes and punch lines thrown around each other. Moments that feel so ordinary yet precious. The small talk. The silence. Everything that takes place day to day. Do people not like ordinary things? I do of course and it took me a while to do so. As someone who always pushed myself over and over to give the best out of the best and wanting the best to happen. Yet the most beautiful part of life was never very special. It was plain ordinary so plain that it became special. Looking back I cherish the ordinary mundane school routine now. I used to think I would have so much liberty once I started college. But my college life was the same minus the homework of course. University life was little bit different, we had the huge liberty we ever had. But looking back even the plain boring ordinary school routine feels beautiful to me now. And the not so structured ordinary university life also feels beautiful to me. I wouldn't want anything else to trade off with.

By the time, I have posted this, I am back in my ordinary university life routine. Again as ordinary as you imagine it to be. However, ordinary is quite subjective isn't it? We can all agree to this point. What I feel ordinary might be extraordinary to some and what I feel extraordinary to some may feel ordinary to them. But still most of our life is ordinary, that I will say and it’s okay.

In a society where mediocrity has been scrutinised and the pump of joyness has to be exudated in every part of life, I would be happy to be called ordinary and have a life lived ordinarily. There is nothing wrong in being ordinary. It never means you have to settle for mediocrity or give up your dreams exactly. It however means to give up your expectations of wanting each and every moment to be special that you fail to realise it has already been special the way it has been. In his book, “The subtle art of not giving a F”, Mark Manson says that ,” The vast majority of your life will be boring and not noteworthy, and that’s okay.” What the author means is that we all are average and the vast majority of our life will be ordinary, not as extraordinary as the new culture deem to show it otherwise and it’s okay. This belief will lead us to accept life as it is and have appreciation for life’s basic experience. It has been a while I have read the book and still the belief resonates with me and my own appreciation towards life has been growing. I learnt that I am happy and the life I got is not any less of a blessing. Much of our life will be ordinary indeed. And it is the way it is supposed to be. That’s why it is fulfilling and that’s why it is beautiful.

After all, that constant pressure to be something amazing, to be the next big thing, will be lifted off your back. The stress and anxiety of always feeling inadequate and constantly needing to prove yourself will dissipate. And the knowledge and acceptance of your own mundane existence will actually free you to accomplish what you truly wish to accomplish, without judgment or lofty expectations. You will have a growing appreciation for life’s basic experiences: the pleasures of simple friendship, creating something, helping a person in need, reading a good book, laughing with someone you care about. Sounds boring, doesn’t it? That’s because these things are ordinary. But maybe they’re ordinary for a reason: because they are what actually matters.

― Mark Manson, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

Life will be ordinary my friend. And that is the most beautiful part of it. You are ordinary that's why you are beautiful. I am also an ordinary being that's why I can relate to you and that's why it is beautiful. Nothing fancy like sitcoms or dramas or movie plots or novels. Just plain ordinary. And the beauty in this ordinary life.