Until It Finally Was
“Be like the bird that, passing on her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings.” Victor Hugo
“We gain a new definition of freedom when we also remember and consider the roles of ordinary people who did extraordinary things at this moment.”
Taken from the book “An Army of Amateurs” written by Philippe De Vomecourt, about his work with the Résistance during World War II.
Extraordinary versus ordinary, and who are those people? On occasion, we see articles about ordinary people, some of them young and some of them old, who are thrown into a situation and without thinking they do the impossible, such as they lift a car off of another person to save their life. And we all marvel at such an occurrence since under normal circumstances they wouldn’t be able to do such a feat.
Mr. De Vomecourt, the author of the above quote, was an interesting subject. He came from a wealthy maybe even considered an aristocratic family and had seen his share of life and adventure when World War Two came around. He had two brothers, and I believe he was the middle child. They three came together and divided France up and each took an area to work and lead in the Resistance.
He saw firsthand the events the ordinary people did throughout France under very difficult times with an ever-present enemy and everywhere present enemy. For five long years, the people of the Resistance suffered without the guarantee that they would ever be free from their enemy.
Our lives are in a sense a piecemeal of works. A hodge-podge if you will of happenings. There is a birthday, then a one-year birthday, and so forth. Maybe there is schooling, graduation. A first job, a first love, marriage a family, and all through the years there are happenings, some notable as family members are added and some subtracted.
And we gain a new definition of living through it all, during the times we were heroes and during the times we weren’t. By heroes, we don’t mean necessarily lifting the car off someone, or rescuing people from burning buildings although that would certainly qualify. But heroes mostly come in simple clothing such as being there at the right time in the right way.
Heroes are more often disguised as common people doing everyday chores. They give encouragement through a smile, a pat on the back, or by offering that boost to help others move over an obstacle.
“Let love of the brethren continue. Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:1-2)
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. ~William Martin
“Show me thy ways, O Jehovah; Teach me thy paths. Guide me in thy truth, and teach me; For thou art the God of my salvation; For thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O Jehovah, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindness; For they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: According to thy lovingkindness remember thou me, For thy goodness’ sake, O Jehovah.” (Psalms 25:4-7)
