Chasing Something Extraordinary

– Ponderings:

“I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).

I recently read an article, “100 Worst Foods in the World.” Most of the “worst” had, as their main ingredient, a part or parts of animals that are best left uneaten. I will let you use your imagination. Then there are the “delicacies,” made of insects that should never be seen, let alone eaten. Some of the dishes involve the careful eating of poisonous fish or plants. I was surprised by a few American items that made the list – goulash, tuna casserole, and canned chop suey. They may not be my favorite, but I would rather eat those any day than a brain or a bug. Not that I’ve ever tried either. Our food choices can be part of life’s adventure if nothing else!

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find myself chasing after or dreaming of some big moment that will change who I am or define my life. I am waiting for life to become extraordinary, hoping that, when that thing happens, I’ll feel full, content, and alive. But then I read Ecclesiastes, and it slows me down like a gentle hand on my shoulder.

Solomon, in his wisdom, reminds us that joy isn’t often found in the spectacular. It’s found in the ordinary, in the rhythm of eating (“normal” foods), drinking, and honest work. These simple acts—so often overlooked—are not trivial. They’re sacred. They’re a gift of God, and God wants us to enjoy them and be happy.

Adventures are great, and God created us for the adventure of life – growing, exploring, and experiencing new things. But if we’re always chasing the next adventure or wishing our lives were something they’re not, we miss the sacred in the everyday. What if today, instead of striving to escape the routine, we paused to give thanks for the ordinary gifts we often take for granted?

That cup of coffee in the morning sunlight: a gift.

That quiet conversation or laughter with a friend: a gift.

That meal with family: a gift.

That hour in the garden: a gift.

That task you completed: a gift.

In a world that presses us to want more, Ecclesiastes invites us to embrace the here and now. Not because we’ve given up on progress, but because we trust that God is already present in this moment of our lives. The good we do today, the joy we find in simple things, and the satisfaction in our daily tasks, these aren’t second-best blessings. They are the best of a life lived now.

So maybe holiness looks less like chasing something extraordinary, and more like being awake to the sacred in what’s already here.

What simple gift have you overlooked lately? How do Solomon’s words change how you think about the ordinary moments of life?

Prayer: God of every moment, thank you for the grace found in the everyday. Help me not to miss the beauty in the small, the quiet, and the ordinary. Teach me to recognize each breath, each meal, each act of kindness as a gift from you. May I live this day fully, gratefully, and generously, and enjoy all that you have given me. Amen.