/commonplace

A broken streetlight. A ladder into water and void. A bridge to cross. What are these objects in our daily lives? Uneventful, uninteresting, insipid, ordinary… commonplace. Yet they have so much character. More than the fancy chandeliers bathing the inside of Moulin Rouge with shimmering that transports you into a realm of theatrical opulence.

The ordinary lamp post on the street has seen more changes in seasons, witnessed heartbreaks, and proposals, taken the beating of hail and stones chipping away its paint giving it a sense of mystery and mystique. The green climber running down the side of the ladder is a testament to its acceptability and benevolence. It’s compassion—the purest form of love; it neither expects nor demands anything in return and lets the runner run its course. And in the process, they both look intriguing together. Do not assume that the lamp, the streetlight, and the ladder were not appealing ever. They too had their moment in the sun. They too were “the” thing. But then time passed by.

The point is, that what once was shiny and new will someday be relegated to being commonplace. But that does not mean that beauty is lost on them. It’s the opposite. When they go through life, sure, they get some scars. But those scars are what make them beautiful. Adds character. And is a representation of what they’ve experienced. The same holds true for people in our lives. So take a moment and think hard. Find that person you have sidelined to be commonplace in your life and make a genuine effort to look into their beauty.