Preface:
Inaworldwherepeopleconstantlytrytostandoutfromthecrowdandbedifferent,therearesomewhoblendineffortlessly.Theygoabouttheirliveswithoutattractinganyattentionandareoftenoverlookedinaseaofuniquepersonalities.Thisisthestoryofonesuchperson,someonewithoutanydistinguishingfeaturesortalentstoboastof.HisnamewasJohn,andhewasasordinaryastheycome.Hehadnospecialtalentsorabilities,nonoteworthyachievementsoraccomplishments.Hewasneitherparticularlysmartnorparticularlydumb,neitherexceptionallyattractivenorparticularlyplain.Hewasjust...average.Growingup,Johnhadalwaysfeltlikehedidn'tquitefitinwithhispeers.Whileotherkidsexcelledatsportsoracademicsormusic,hestruggledtofindhisniche.Hetriedhishandatavarietyofhobbiesandinterestsbutneverfoundanythingthathewasparticularlypassionateabout.
Asheenteredadulthood,Johnbecameincreasinglyawareofhisunremarkablenature.Hewatchedashisfriendsandcolleaguesclimbedtheranksintheirchosenprofessions,wonawardsandaccolades,andbecameleadersintheirfields.Meanwhile,hestruggledtomakeanykindofimpactandfeltconstantlyovershadowedbythosearoundhim.Despitethesefeelingsofinadequacy,Johntriedtolivehislifetothebestofhisabilities.Heworkedhardathisjob,eventhoughheneverreceivedanypromotionsorrecognitionforhisefforts.Hemaintainedstrongrelationshipswithhisfamilyandfriends,eventhoughheneverstoodoutasthemostpopularoroutgoingpersoninanysocialsituation.Oneday,asJohnwaswalkinghomefromwork,hestumbleduponasmallbookstoretuckedawayonasidestreet.Onawhim,hedecidedtogoinsideandbrowsetheshelves.Asheperusedthetitles,hecameacrossabookwithaplaincoverandasimpletitle:"ThePowerofOrdinary."Intrigued,Johnpickedupthebookandbegantoread.Theauthorarguedthatitisnotnecessarytohaveanyspecialtalentsorabilitiestoleadafulfillingandmeaningfullife.Instead,hesuggestedthatthekeytohappinessandsuccessliesinembracingone'sordinarinessandfindingjoyinthesimplepleasuresofeverydaylife.
AsJohnreadon,hefeltasenseofreliefwashoverhim.Forthefirsttime,herealizedthathedidn'thavetoconstantlystriveforgreatnessortrytobesomeonehewasn't.Hecouldjustbehimself,anunremarkablepersonlivinganunremarkablelife,andstillfindfulfillmentandpurpose.Buoyedbythisnewfoundsenseofacceptance,Johnbegantoseetheworldinadifferentlight.Henoticedthebeautyineverydaymoments,likethewaythesunshonethroughhiswindowinthemorningorthetasteofhisfavoritefood.Hebegantoappreciatethesimplepleasuresoflifeandfoundthattheybroughthimjustasmuchjoyasanygrandachievementevercould.Withthisnewfoundperspective,Johnbegantomakesmallchangesinhislife.Hestartedvolunteeringatalocalcharity,spendingtimewithpeoplewhoneededhishelpandsupport.Hetookuppaintingasahobby,eventhoughhehadnoparticulartalentforit,simplybecauseitbroughthimjoy.Slowlybutsurely,Johnbegantofeelmorecontentwithhislife.Henolongerfelttheneedtoconstantlycomparehimselftoothersortrytomeasureuptosomeunattainablestandard.Hewassimplyhimself,anunremarkablepersonleadinganunremarkablelife,andthatwasmorethanenough.
Astimewenton,John'snewfoundcontentmentbegantospreadtothosearoundhim.Hisfriendsandfamilynoticedachangeinhim,asenseofcalmandacceptancethattheyhadneverseenbefore.Theybegantoseekhimoutforadviceandsupport,drawntohisquietconfidenceandunassumingnature.Intheend,itwasnotJohn'slackofdistinctionthatdefinedhim,butratherhisabilitytofindmeaningandpurposeintheordinary.Heprovedthateventhosewithoutanyspecialtalentsorabilitiescanleadfulfillinglivesandmakeadifferenceintheworld.Andindoingso,heinspiredotherstodothesame.John'sstoryisareminderthatwedon'thavetobeextraordinarytomakeadifference.Wecanfindjoyandpurposeinthesimplestofthingsanduseourordinarylivestodoextraordinarythings.It'snotaboutstandingoutfromthecrowdorbeingthebest;it'saboutbeingtruetoourselvesandfindingfulfillmentintheeveryday.Soifyoueverfeellikeyou'renotgoodenoughorthatyoudon'tmeasureuptothosearoundyou,rememberJohn'sstory.Rememberthateventhemostunremarkableamonguscanfindjoyandpurposeinlife,andthatourordinarinessissomethingtobecelebrated,notfeared.
Embraceyourflawsandimperfections,fortheyarewhatmakeyouunique.Embraceyourunremarkableness,foritiswhatmakesyouhuman.Andmostimportantly,embracethepowerofordinary,foritiswhatwillsetyoufree.John'sstoryisatestamenttothefactthatwedon'thavetoconstantlystriveforgreatnessortrytobesomeonewe'renot.Wecanjustbeourselves,unremarkablethoughwemayseem,andstillmakeapositiveimpactontheworld.Inaworldthatvaluesuniquenessandindividualityaboveallelse,itcanbeeasytoforgetthebeautyintheordinary.ButJohn'sstoryremindsusthatthereisvalueinsimplicity,infindingjoyintheeverydaymomentsoflife.Sothenexttimeyoufeellikeyou'renotgoodenoughorthatyoudon'tmeasureup,rememberJohn.Rememberthatit'snotaboutbeingthebestorstandingoutfromthecrowd;it'saboutbeingtruetoyourselfandfindingjoyintheordinary.
Weallhavesomethingtooffer,evenifit'snotimmediatelyobvious.Weallhavetalentsandabilities,evenifthey'renotthekindthatwinawardsormakeheadlines.Andweallhavethepowertomakeadifferenceintheworld,nomatterhowunremarkablewemayseem.Sodon'tbeafraidtoembraceyourunremarkableness.Don'tbeafraidtofindjoyinthesimplepleasuresoflife.Andmostimportantly,don'tbeafraidtouseyourordinarylifetodoextraordinarythings.Intheend,it'snotaboutwhatweachieveorhowmuchmoneywemakeorhowmanypeopleknowourname.It'saboutlivingalifeofpurposeandmeaning,nomatterhowordinaryitmayseem.Johnmayhavebeenanunremarkablepersonlivinganunremarkablelife,buthefoundjoyandpurposeinthesimplepleasuresofeverydayexistence.Andindoingso,heprovedthateventhemostordinaryamonguscanleadextraordinarylives.
