Why is being average
Never quite enough?
Why must we always strive
To be a cut above?
If everyone is better
Than what we call the norm
Then whoever defined normal
Was sadly misinformed
By its very definition
Mediocre is not bad
So it shouldn’t be a label
That makes us feel so sad
So if being ordinary is
Your most defining trait
Then surely that’s a reason
For you to celebrate?
James Proclaims! 
Yes that’s a reason for me to celebrate. Beautiful post and image. I have wondered on why people strive to be extraordinary while all they want is love and attention from ordinary people. 🙂
Come visit us ordinary people in Alumni forum if you have some time–it’s like Commons, albeit smaller.
Sincerely,
Anand
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Thanks for commenting. Life has suddenly got much busier outside of blogging but I’m sure I’ll drop by soon 🙂
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Please take care of what needs to be done, the forum can wait for proclamations 🙂
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Yes, it is a poem. And yes, we should celebrate the ordinary and not pressure ourselves all the time. I agree.
But there is the American in me that knows that we have to dig in and push ourselves too, but we have a tendency to do that too much. It’s a balancing act. I think wisdom comes when you know when to do which. I don’t have that yet.
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I don’t disagree but I do think there are overly negative connotations with words like ‘average’ when there really shouldn’t be.
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Absolutely no argument here, James.
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I think nobody is truly ordinary. One person’s ordinary is always another’s elite.
And there also remains the fact that Michael Phelps is an ordinary driver, Lewis Hamilton is an ordinary golfer, Tiger Woods is an ordinary cricketer and Sachin Tendulkar is an ordinary swimmer.
So here’s to ordinary!
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I concur!
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That’s more or less what I was trying to say with the poem. If you’re going to cheat and not use rhymes then obviously you’re going to say it better than me…
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I must apologise here since
I really had not intention to cheat.
I just wrote down what my simple mind,
had fathomed from your fabulous beat.
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Touché
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I think it is driven into us at an early age to try harder but if you’re happy with yourself, then so be it.
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I will tell you why some people strive for extraordinary, To add color and fun to the ordinary. I know when I am out in face talking to people, I am meeting ordinary people, and seeing how happy it makes them to see something so different than their own life. I am certain they are comfortable and happy in their lives. That’s great. It makes me happy. But everyone likes to laugh and see something different.
So for perfection I will always strive for. To be better for the ordinary people.
Really this is ordinary behavior for me.
I second quote theanonymoustalker: So here’s to ordinary!
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Not disagreeing with anything you have said, but the point of the poem was not that people shouldn’t strive for the extraordinary, but in fact that they shouldn’t beat themselves up if they don’t achieve that. Because not everyone, by definition, can be the best, and most people by definition are average. So it shouldn’t be a bad thing
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Yup.
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I have a great respect for those that do. I really do, and I do encourage it with those that want to do that. My point is that the ordinary are necessary for the ones who aren’t. It is a balance in life.
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New goal for me. Be ordinary.
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One man’s ordinary is another’s extraorinary, exotic, fabulous.
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Be what you want to be, but always be you. Then celebrate!
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Always celebrate!
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My husband has come up with another clothing size he calls “extra medium”.
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I love it!
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