Probably every one of us here has a different idea of what an “extraordinary” life is. Certainly our ideas reflect our own values and unique dreams. Even to “live an extraordinary life” is a value and a dream that not everyone has or has to have. But if you do want that and wonder if you can live it … I ask, how many of our dreams pass us by, when they didn’t have to? How many things do we think we cannot do, when maybe we could? Maybe things fly past us like the string of a kite – they’re not easy to grab ahold of, but if we could stretch and reach out at the right moment, and grasp that string before it floats away forever …
Mixed media print from The Freckled Army shop at Etsy
When we were very young children, my little sister and I were flying kites in our court (our street was not a through street, but a circle with 10 houses around it – great for growing up playing in the street safely!). My sister lost hold of her kite string. Her kite got carried away on the winds. It went up and up and up … it blew away in the breeze, right over our house. But wouldn’t you know, the very tippy-tippy end of the string got stuck on the edge of a shingle on our roof! Just the last half inch of the string got stuck. On the very tippy-tippy edge of a shingle. But it held fast. A simple climb up a ladder to the roof, and my dad was able to retrieve the kite for my sister. And tears turned into a smile.
I wonder how many things in life pass us by – the things that could make life extraordinary. And we don’t even realize they are retrievable. They might be holding on for a moment, calling for our attention. It’s up to us to see them, hear them.
Sometimes it’s an attitude that can get in the way. Sometimes we’re afraid to stretch and climb up a ladder a bit. Sometimes we give up and look away too soon, and we don’t know the opportunity is still there, just waiting for us.
I have been wrestling with similar thoughts this past week- was I brave enough to follow a dream? I made up my mind today that I was going to give it my best and just stop being afraid. There is nothing more freeing than not having to worry about the results. This is a lovely post, Deb.
That is so wonderful to hear, Priya!! I was hoping to inspire others.
I struggle with this a lot. I would hope to live a truly extraordinary life, and that I think I have not yet is not something that should be blamed on other people, or on circumstances. I believe it is within our power to do.
Thought provoking post, Deb. So often we get stuck in our “comfort zone” which is SO tough to get out of. Extraordinary is in each of us, I truly believe, totally agree with your thoughts
Yes, I think most people think extraordinary things only happen to “other” people. Some of it might be luck and being in the right place at the right time, things like that. But that’s not 100% of it. BTW I added your beautiful blog to my design links! :)