Meditations on Greatness and Ordinariness
©By Vijaya Sundaram
May 12, 2013
I’ve often wondered why people can exist in a kind of dumbstruck awe of those who have achieved greatness in a particular field.
I do not mean to imply that I don’t respect great people or am not in awe of their gifts, tenacity and devotion to their field. I do not mean that I find them puny or insignificant. Not at all! I admire them deeply, intensely, with great respect and open eyes and heart. I appreciate enormously the sacrifices they must have made and the strength of mind to keep at their art or science or any other field. I look at them, and see their greatness as part of the power which pours from an unseen source into their hearts, into their minds, the minds of those who are compelled to follow a dream. I love that, and wouldn’t mind some of that to spill over into me as well.
What I don’t understand is the slightly subservient attitude that is adopted by those who pay them tribute — or, maybe I mean something other than subservient. I’m referring to the slightly timid manner which people adopt in the face of greatness. I find it strange and slightly discomfiting.
Perhaps, I’m thinking that the possibility of greatness is in all those who seek passion and purpose in their own lives, along with tenacity and vision. And I am wondering why tenacity and vision, which should be everyday things, things of no great consequence, could be so extraordinary.
I know why — because they are extraordinary.
But they shouldn’t be!
I don’t wish to slavishly idolize those who possess creative greatness and heroic tenacity. I want to appreciate them with eyes wide open, and with a readiness to let them take me elsewhere, without giving up an iota of my own being. Surrender to greatness, without surrender of self.
Is that possible?
Therein lies the paradox of the attraction and repulsion that “great” people hold for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The End ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(NOTE: I’ll probably write a longer meditation on this. This is all I am capable of for now — work awaits.)