Friday, January 28, 2011

Day 28, January 28

More than thirty years ago, Hollywood made a movie entitled "Ordinary People." Though I never saw the movie, the title intrigued me. How could a movie with such a prosaic sounding subject be interesting, I wondered.

Since then I have grown more aware of the ordinary people who enrich my life and that of others simply through the way they live their lives.

Ours is a modest neighborhood, made up of hard-working people. They go to work every day to support their families. They mow their yards in the summer, rake the leaves in the fall, shovel snow from the sidewalks in the winter, and plant flowers in the spring. They attend their children's football games, dance programs, and piano recitals. They vote in every election. They serve on school boards, volunteer in the community, and attend political caucuses. They sit through PTA meetings because they care about their children's schools. They bring meals to families who have suffered a loss. They serve in their churches wherever they are needed.

There are no movie stars, no professional athletes, no politicians, no one who would be invited as a guest on the Oprah show among these people. There are no demands for the spotlight. In fact, most of them would shun the spotlight if it were to be turned on them.

These are the people who are there with offers of babysitting when a family of five has another baby. These are the people who shovel the walks of a widow. These are the people who take in a neighbor's mail when the neighbor is on vacation. These are the people who give an elderly friend a ride to the doctor or the grocery store.

These are the people who make the world a better place.

So, for today, I am grateful for ordinary people.

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