By subscribing to Inspiring Quotes you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Sometimes we find ourselves feeling so comfortable that we take the most basic aspects of life for granted. Novelist and essayist Cynthia Ozick tackled this feeling in her 1984 essay, "The Riddle of the Ordinary." In it, she pointed out the paradoxical way we experience extraordinary versus ordinary things: "The Extraordinary does not let you walk away and shrug your shoulders. But the Ordinary is a much harder case," she wrote. "In the first place, by making itself so noticeable — it is around us all the time — the Ordinary has got itself in bad fix with us: we hardly ever notice it." Ozick’s observation reminds us to treat everything — including the ordinary things — with gratitude.
13 Hilarious Lines From History’s Funniest Poets
Quotes From Award-Winning Books of the 21st Century
Surprisingly Profound Quotes From the ‘Star Wars’ Universe
9 Quotes That Define Intersectionality
13 Quotes To Help You Move On From Past Loves
12 Quotes on Staying Flexible and Open-Minded
14 Reminders That You’re Loved, for Anyone Who Feels Lonely
Comforting Quotes About Dealing With the Loss of a Mother
13 Funny Quotes About New Year’s Resolutions
Quotes for Anyone Who Struggles With Patience
These Books by Black Authors May Just Change Your Life