Ordinary aspects of life matter, too.(The Dallas Morning News)

It may be inevitable that so many of us strive for personal significance. The desire for notice is an essential part of being human.

Some people take that impulse and run wild with it, of course. They buy shiny sports cars to announce their arrival. They quote impressive authors to establish their intellectual credentials. They build monster homes to show their wealth. They preen and strut to emphasize their beauty or strength.

Yet all that effort can blind us to how ``the ordinary'' can transform our lives. Perhaps we need the Christmas season to remind us every 12 months how simple moments, unheralded individuals or routine encounters can change our habits and perspectives.

As many ministers will point out this week, the son of God didn't arrive with …