100 Ordinary Things That Make This Life Extraordinary

Written by: Jorinde Berben
Image credit: pexels.com

Today was a pretty ordinary Sunday. We had breakfast with guests, I went to choir and then celebrated my godson’s 8th birthday with my family (and waffles!) It left me feeling so grateful and filled up with love for this life that isn’t, perhaps, the most glamorous or unique, but in so many ways extraordinary.

On Saturday, we discussed how this ‘ordinariness’ of life is something we should celebrate, appreciate, and value. It is the essence of life, much more than all the grand moments we tend to strive toward.

So in today’s blog post, I’m not diving deep into a single topic. I want to share with you 100 everyday, ordinary things that I feel make life extraordinary.

Without further ado, let’s dive in:

1. Chocolate
2. The sound of the rain
3. Clouds
4. Children playing
5. Long hugs
6. Freshly laundered sheets
7. Music!
8. Paint
9. Birthday parties
10. Flags waving in the wind
11. The smell of lilies-of-the-valley
12. A bird’s nest
13. Kissing
14. A postcard in the mail
15. Friendship
16. Books (right?)
17. Forest floors
18. Freshly brewed coffee
19. Cafés
20. Cuddling with your kids
21. Apologies
22. Trees (they are AMAZING)
23. Underwear that fits just right
24. A clean kitchen
25. Poetry
26. The first french fry from the bunch
27. Your reflection in the mirror
28. Massages
29. Perfume
30. Holding hands
31. Sunsets
32. Sunrises
33. The moon framed by clouds
34. A sip of water on a hot day
35. Skinny dipping
36. Making love
37. Making pancakes
38. Fresh raspberries
39. Smiling babies
40. Crying babies
41. A favorite t-shirt that smells just like you
42. Old photo’s
43. New journals
44. Getting back in touch
45. Cooking your own meals from scratch
46. Having someone cook for you
47. Scrambled eggs
48. Talking to God
49. Sharpened pencils
50. Bows (the decorative kind)
51. Christmas
52. Math
53. Socks that find their buddies again
54. The human mind
55. Butterflies!
56. Being moved to tears
57. Sunday afternoons
58. Sand castles
59. Laughter
60. The dance of a swallow
61. A game of chess
62. Slightly melted ice-cream
63. Candles
64. Movies that get you to change your point of view
65. Humor that helps break the tension
66. Meditation
67. Our bodies
68. The feeling of wet grass under your feet
69. Crying together
70. Glass
71. Community
72. Talking to someone on the other side of the world
73. The rush of being late
74. The satisfaction of arriving just in time
75. Homemade jam
76. A breeze
77. Footsteps you recognize
78. Giving a gift
79. Feeling thankful
80. Tiramisu
81. The post-exercise rush of endorphins
82. Dolphins (just the fact that they exist)
83. Parents, brothers, sisters
84. Love
85. Teachers
86. Therapy of any kind
87. Riding a bicycle
88. Cats (and yes, dogs, too)
89. Walking on fresh snow
90. The first flowers of spring
91. Seeing a hot air balloon
92. Children’s drawings
93. A sprig of mint on pretty much anything
94. Winning together
95. Losing together
96. Ship anchors (they’re just beautiful, right?)
97. Taking your time
98. Finding what you’re looking for
99. Making a new friend
100. Finishing a blogpost

I know you’ve got your own list of things that are common and yet make life as extraordinary as it is. My list doesn’t end here, and it will grow and change as life goes on. Number 101 would probably be the ever-changing nature of life itself.

Feel free to add to this list below, or highlight your favourites from the list above. I’d love to hear from you!