Out of the Ordinary

The desire to see or experience the exceptional seems to be a universal human trait.  Whether it be travelling to a sightseeing wonder-of-nature, or touching or walking among man’s accomplishments among the architectural ‘wonders of the world,’ or hearing the roar and feeling the ground shake under your feet  in watching technical marvels such as the huge Saturn rockets and space shuttles blasting off (no longer possible), we want to be there and experience that.  Less actively, millions witness extraordinary sports feats such as the Olympic Games every four years; others desire to meet celebrities—of the arts, of athletics, of extraordinary skill or accomplishment of all types.  Again, universally we want to be ‘there’ or we dream of doing ‘that;’ and the closer we can get the better.  A box seat at the World Series or being in St. Peter’s square at the Vatican or feeling the spray on our faces from the Niagara Falls is almost always more to be desired than just seeing it on television or reading about it. 

Why?  What is wrong with the mundane?  Perhaps it is because the 'norm' may not be our potential to excel at something that may be hard-wired into us genetically.

I think it is because we want a personal connection or interaction with the exceptional.  We want to participate—if not personally (which is preferable), at least vicariously. Participation in fantasy is a common response when we can’t personally participate. We want to be part of the scene; we want to be extraordinary in some way.  And the more senses that are utilized—the more realistic the involvement—the better. 

I illustrate this with an example.  I recently read about a world-champion ultradistance runner (distances over 26 miles) named Scott Jurek.  As a poor boy from rural Minnesota he was not extraordinary. Here is what he said about his later extraordinary performances:

       “ I spent a lot of time in the woods as a kid, hunting and fishing, connecting to   wild places.  I never [then] thought I’d be running for sport or for fun.  What I do [as an adult] is out of the norm nowadays.  Running has been this vehicle to get me out into the wilderness.  It gets me out exploring places I might not otherwise see. Preserving that connection has been important.  Doing things that seem out-of–the-norm I think is a good thing.” 

Sports historian Buzz Burrell says of this extraordinary runner: “Scott accomplished what no one else will.  He wasn’t the most talented guy out there, but he studied really hard.  He trained really hard.  He has his brain, his heart and his gut in [the sport] and that’s why he [has excelled].”

 

(More information on Scott Jurek’s incredible determination, numerous world records, and endurance are chronicled in Christopher McDougall’s book Born to Run (Vintage press: 2011).)

Get involved.  Be extraordinary in something.  It doesn’t have to be sports or the concert piano, or designing the space shuttle.  Mother Teresa at 4’ 11” with little education and no wealth was, in many peoples' minds, even more extraordinary than Scott Jurek. Learn of her or observe the many other out-of-the ordinary people who you will never read about but who are the exceptional—the noble and great ones among us. And then learn from them.

The music is in us—now string the bow and start fiddling.