The other day on a trip through Annapolis, I saw a pallet of brown bricks sitting in the middle of the road.
At first, I thought nothing of it. but as I continued on my way I noticed the road before me was filled with pockets and holes and sprawling divots where bricks were missing and repairs were being done.
It clicked. Ah, the bricks are for the road. Of course. When the bricks are in place, the road is smooth and you never think of them. You simply go on your merry way. But when a few or a lot go missing the way it gets rough.
Bricks are not exotic or eye-opening. They are dull. They are brown. They are bricks. In short, they are ordinary.
This little episode reminded me that life is like this, full of ordinary things. Ordinary conversations, ordinary work days, ordinary habits. It’s easy to take them for granted and wish that some of these were a little bit more spectacular.
But maybe that misses the point. Ordinary does not mean unimportant. If anything the ordinary things keep the road flat. It means there’s traction to keep going, to keep moving forward.
Don’t overlook these ordinary things. Appreciate them. Give thanks for the bricks.
show & tell 