Dreamy drive to work today - left midmorning courtesy of late teaching and the roads were clear. One of those days when it's a pleasure to be at work - enthusiastic students, friendly encouraging colleagues, minor blip finding the formula I thought I'd embedded in the student's scoring sheets didn't work...
Listening to Aung San Suu Kyi sharing her desert island discs on the radio this morning I was struck by her totally unwavering dedication to her country. She recounts that she told her husband to be her country would always come first. What did he think of that, the interviewer asks. 'He understood me', she replied. Clearly interested in what had made this woman so extraordinary, Aung San explained: “When people have chosen a certain path, they should walk it with satisfaction and not try to make it appear as a tremendous sacrifice.”
BUT, last minute decision this morning on the way out to EAT OUT this evening (I know, spontaneity, quite shocking really) AND to invite a friend. Phoned her from the car (or the fish-bowl, as described by my interlocutors) and arranged to meet at ours and head on over to the local Turkish - tasty and informal; perfect.
Somewhat later than anticipated I head home. Mika again - this time 'Rain'. I start to muse over what makes some people extraordinary and what makes the rest of us ordinary. Is it the lack of any challenge to our basic principles? What is ordinary? What do you want in an ordinary life? Predicability, anonymity, unanimity, respectability, privacy... Is it possible to be extraordinary and maintain these in your life? Does everyone want to be extraordinary from time to time? What would the ordinary really give up to be extraordinary? Is it enough to be extraordinary in one way or one place or at one time?
My musings were interrupted by the dual sensory invasion of "There are traffic disruptions on route" and the three lane queue considerably earlier than it should have appeared for the first major roundabout of my journey...
Isn't it fateful that when you go against your better instincts to stick to the main roads you know (despite gridlock) and take the alternative offered you receive as a reward the confirmation that you are right in assuming that minor roads appear clear on your satnav because they are not monitored by traffic reports... I barely got home in time to go out again. M25 at a standstill. A10 north at a standstill. Reason? M11 shut because of accident, A10 closed at Royston because of overturned tractor and trailer. And it's not even windy - so much for my theory. Two days running of traffic chaos - extraordinary.
A chance to catch up, swap stories and spend company with someone who you know wants you to be nothing but totally honest and totally you. Acceptance is such a special thing to find it's worth treasuring. We whiled away 2 hours and came out to find the ordinary world had returned to normal. All those frustrated people had found their way home eventually. We sailed back north to the unconditional welcome of our kitties.
Extraordinarily nice end to the day, really.
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