When Ordinary Becomes Amazing

Just this morning, I read my friend’s most recent blog post called “Mundane isn’t so Dull.” In it she talks about the importance of each day, and how the “regular days” that don’t seem so fantastic can turn out to be the incredible stories that we tell years down the road.  She closes by saying “…every story is exciting to someone. Every moment matters. Every encounter with yourself and others means something. Don't rule anything out.” The best friend in my was a little disappointed that it took me nearly a week to see this post, and yet I now realize that today was the best day to read it.

Today started out as one of those “regular days.” Breakfast, checking email, church, lunch…nothing too exciting. The group had been planning to have a quiet afternoon at the center full of naps and laundry, so I figured it would be a good afternoon to take an hour or two to find my way through the city to meet a friend’s brother to gather some items to take back to the States with me. However, I forgot to shut my “American brain” off before setting foot in Kigali, which meant I was off on more of an adventure than I had anticipated.

What American Caitlin expected was to take an hour and a half – two hours at the most – to find the place to meet my friend’s brother, pick up the items, and make my way home. What American Caitlin forgot was that she is in Rwanda now. Which means my “I’ll be right back” to another group member as I rushed out the door was actually a seven hour adventure in which I ventured into a new part of town, was filled with delicious juice, banana beer, and traditional Rwandan food, and visited with the family in their beautiful new home. The American part of me felt a little anxious and was worried that the rest of my group would wonder where I got to, but the part of me that is embracing Rwandan culture knew to just sit back and enjoy. Once I realized that, I enjoyed each and every moment for what it was – a regular day and an adventure. What a blessing it was to be welcomed into the family, to share a meal with them, and to love on their two year old son!

And as I left their home and his sister wrapped my head so it wouldn’t get wet, and as I whizzed home on the back of a moto with a jug of water on my lap, I looked out over the city and realized that, yet again, I was falling in love with Kigali. I knew in that moment that today – which had started as so normal and so “mundane” – had become one of those very special days with an amazing story to tell.