This poem by William Martin was recently posted by Mindful Christianity on its Facebook page and we felt this was a useful one to share on St Mary’s Poetry Blog on our website.

The poem is taken from a book by William Martin. It  is as much a philosophical quotation as a poem.

It appears in his book, The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents ( Published 1999)  

MAKE THE ORDINARY COME ALIVE

“Do not ask your children

to strive for extraordinary lives.

Such striving may seem admirable,

but it is the way of foolishness.

Help them instead to find the wonder

and the marvel of an ordinary life.

Show them the joy of tasting

tomatoes, apples, and pears.

Show them how to cry

when pets and people die.

Show them the infinite pleasure

in the touch of a hand.

And make the ordinary come alive for them.

The extraordinary will take care of itself.”

William Martin’s work  expresses the practical wisdom and inspiration of Taoist thought for contemporary readers. 

Martin was born in California and graduated  with a degree in Electronic Engineering. before working for the Navy as a research scientist. He  later returned to graduate school earning a Masters degree from Western Theological Seminary. He did not find himself fitting within the Christian Church clergy structure so, guided by his love of the Tao Te Ching, he began to seek his own way. He spent two decades in private practice as a Marriage and Family Counsellor.

His writing is strongly coloured by Taoist  philosophy.

Submitted by Roger Verrall September 2020