Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.
By William Martin
What can YOU do today in person, or via a phone call or the internet to guide and influence the children in YOUR life?
GOD HAS A WAY OF REVEALING THINGS TO YOU. PAY ATTENTION!!
My Commentary:
This poem gently challenges one of the great temptations of modern life: the belief that a meaningful life must be extraordinary, exceptional, or constantly impressive. We push children toward achievement, recognition, and success, often fearing that an “ordinary” life is somehow not enough.
But the poem reminds us that the deepest joys of life are usually found in ordinary moments.
The taste of fruit.
The grief over a beloved pet.
The warmth of a hand held in love.
These are not small things. They are the substance of being human.
To teach a child to notice such moments is to teach them how to live fully. Wonder is not found only in grand accomplishments; it is found in attentiveness. A person who can marvel at simple gifts will never be spiritually poor.
The poem also wisely teaches that sorrow belongs to life as much as joy. “Show them how to cry when pets and people die.” That line is profoundly important. Love always makes us vulnerable to loss. But learning to grieve is part of learning to love deeply.
For a person who follows after Jesus, this vision is beautifully consistent with the life of Jesus. Much of His life was outwardly ordinary. He spent years in a small town. He noticed sparrows, seeds, bread, vineyards, children, and shared meals. Again and again, He revealed that the kingdom of God is hidden in the everyday.
And perhaps that is the poem’s greatest wisdom: when we truly awaken to the ordinary, it becomes extraordinary.
The people who live most deeply are often not those chasing greatness, but those who have learned to see holiness, beauty, and love in the simple gifts right in front of them.
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