The hidden grace in ordinary days

In the quiet hours of our quotidian existence, live small things that seem bothersome in the beginning, but unexpectedly become tender moments that hold up our days together with purpose and joy.

We groan at the alarm clock’s piercing cry, sigh at all the things that crop up at the last minute, or grumble over the coffee that spills just as we’re rushing out. These moments, so trivial and so frequent, seem like flecks of inconvenience but are actually part of a grander narrative.

I was a little irked at having to relocate my students to a classroom I might have otherwise never visited. The classroom belonged to a young colleague Mr. Villarreal and naturally in due course of time we got talking. The conversation took a poignant turn when he talked about his traumatic past and how he had worked hard to rise above the limitations imposed upon him by life and living. Listening to him quietened my mind, made me see how simple interactions can shimmer with unexpected grace. His determination to bridle the curve balls life threw at him gave me perspective to look at my concerns and problems with equanimity and also the insight to count and recount my blessings when they are not very apparent. 

There’s a strange alchemy in memory and how it placates the sharpness of what once annoyed us. Next time I was relocated to his class I was actually looking forward to it. This colleague had become a young friend and we often found moments to talk about the ebbs and flows of our lives. Mr. Villareal passed away suddenly and unexpectedly and our conversations metamorphosed into cherished echoes of a voice that grows quieter with time.

In a world that values the grand and the bold, we often overlook the quiet brilliance tucked into our daily lives. There are no ordinary days. Joy, purpose, meaning  don’t always announce themselves with fanfare. Sometimes, they are hidden in the very things we thought we wanted to escape. 

Life is not something we visit on weekends or save for special occasions. Life is happening now, in the most ordinary, remarkable ways. So next time something small bothers you, lean in. Listen. Life is there, cloaked in the fabric of ordinary days, gently teaching great living lessons.