The Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Wishes, Hopes, Dreams and Inspiration are found with everyone. All people, no matter what nationality, belief system or life style, have them. Most people look the other way though. People of the modern world look more on people who are beautiful, handsome, famous and/or rich. In fact, we have looked onto things like that so much, that the true talent is hidden. Susan Boyle is a 47 year old woman living in the UK. She isn’t beautiful, she isn’t rich and to some people she is just plain old ordinary.

When she first stepped out onto the stage on the show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, you could tell that everybody who looked at her had great doubt that she was going to get anywhere. By there facial expressions and remarks, anybody could tell that the audience didn’t like her. To everybody’s surprise though, she belted it out and wowed everyone. She put real means to the term ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover.’ It all depends on your point of view. Susan was judged by her appearance and clothing. Susan Boyle had a dream to be like the singer who inspired her to start singing, Elaine Paige. She held onto her dream of becoming a singer since she was 12 years old and had a strong enough hope to be a professional.

The same treatment was given to Paul Potts a few years earlier. He wasn’t handsome or muscular but there was talent. He had a dream of becoming a professional Opera singer but when he made it known on the stage of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ he too was ridiculed. When he sang, though, his talent blasted. It was a true surprise to every one. Paul knew that he was born to do Opera and held fast to that dream until he was able to show it. Like in the Langston Hughes poem, it says ‘Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.’ What if Paul let go of his dream and just remained doing his job? There would be no excitement as there was being able to show he had talent to the world.

Millions of people want to see people like Susan Boyle and Paul Potts for two reasons, they either hear it from there friends that these people are really good and/or they want to see proof of this kind of talent coming from this ‘type’ of person. A first impression of either of them and you may think they have no talents and are weird for trying something they “obviously” can’t do. People all over have become so attached to the ‘first sight= impression’ method that we turn down people we think lowly of when they are truly wonderful people to be around. I do believe that you can find the extraordinary in the ordinary.

I chose the picture shown above because, to me, it represents opinion based on our 'eye' view and how we look at things. Artwork by: Teesha Moore