Where Is Your Uncommon Sense?

Why is common sense considered so valuable? I dare say it wasn’t common sense that guided the Wright brothers.

Many are the well-intentioned offerings of advice cloaked in questions such as “Where is your common sense?” and “Don’t you have any common sense?” as if common sense was the beginning and end all of what we should aspire to. It seems to me we would all benefit more to find some uncommon sense.

Unfortunately, this isn’t something that is generally cultivated among us. Most of us were taught to conform to cultural norms, be it via classrooms, religions, peer pressure, the work place, and even families. One might ask, “What about the need for organization and cooperation?” Do we think, then, that following our own “uncommon” sense would lead to some sort of anarchy? Actually, I think the opposite is true.

We have all been imparted with various talents and abilities that are meant to be shared; aren’t we also all born with a unique way of thinking, of viewing every situation, of responding to those situations? Included with these gifts is the unique “sense” we have about things. This sense is, I believe, what breathes life into our souls; it is the creative part of ourselves that interprets life differently than anyone else and guilds us to develop our natural leanings and talents. Too often it is squelched, buried, and hidden under the wretched, over-rated goal of conformity.

Certainly we have had the pleasurable experience of meeting those of “like minds” who we connect with on a deeper level. Even this experience is made better, or should I say possible, by allowing the different facets of our thought processes to shine through. How can we appreciate what we have in common with someone, if we can’t appreciate the differences?

When the uniqueness of uncommon sense is celebrated and nourished in another, instead of pressed and molded into what is common, what a treasure box is opened to us; the treasure of the discovery of what we ourselves were meant to contribute to the world. Imagine the possibilities and accomplishments we would be able to achieve if such were always so!