"The ordinary is extraordinary and the extraordinary is ordinary" (Bali Journal, Day 2)
What happens when normal isn’t so normal but it’s still normal?
From my perspective, my day was on par for experiences of the past.
Waking up in a foreign hostel I booked a day before, looking at a day with no plan then hopping on a scooter through ancient streets in Southeast Asia to go meet people I’ve only met online. Booking a hostel for where I would stay that night. Arriving to an empty hotel / hostel still kinda sorta getting built. Walking solo through the tropical climate, overlooking the rice patties and the sunset, thinking about how this isn’t that un-normal…
But from a totally different perspective it’s pretty far out.
From someone sitting at an office, or someone working at a restaurant straight out of college or most anyone for that matter, my day could be seen as such a different world, so different of a reality.
But to me, almost normal. Expected. Casual.
In the flow it’s hard to stop and think about that because it’s not that different.
But the realizations that this is pretty crazy come in strikes of clarity.
“We’re sitting in a pool in a villa in Bali.”
“I’m walking down ancient roads halfway across the world.”
“I’m riding a scooter surrounded by dozens of other scooter-ers harmoniously weaving through traffic.”
“I’m living. I’m here. I’m in it.”
It’s a feeling of current reality compared to previous realities, or even the average reality, and how in the moment it doesn’t feel that extraordinary.
It’s just life. I think this feeling of clarity, understanding and appreciation of the moments happens all the way, forever. I hope and wish this feeling happens for everyone.
I didn’t teleport to this place, jumping forward in time from the past until now. I walked. Each step was an experience that moved me to where I am, therefore where I am is normal.
It’s normal to be in Bali about to rent a scooter so I can ride to Canggu for the night. It’s normal to be sitting by the pool at a villa typing and thinking and probably even working a bit. It’s normal now and it will continue to be normal.
When I fly first class across the world, it will be normal just like it was flying coach with some kid punching buttons on the tv in my head rest. When I take the elevator up to my condo overlooking the city it will be normal just like it is unlocking the door to see my dad sitting on the couch welcoming me home. When I have enough money invested to live off interest it will be normal just like it is hunting for free food and drinks during SXSW so I can save for the trip to Bali.
Our normal now is the normal for us, forever.
Most of the time we don’t teleport to a further point down the road, blown away by how we arrived at where we’re at. We walk, a step at a time, each step feeling normal to us, but taking us to a point that to some might feel unbelievable, unimaginable, hopeful, wishful… but to us, once we get there, it’s normal.
So it’s not necessarily about getting there, it’s about the now, and finding that bit of magic in the process. It’s stopping to admire and accept and appreciate the now because the now is way different than it used to be, but kind of the same, but also different, kind of.
My sister and I were talking about this awhile back and we landed on a phrase that kind of sums this idea up…
