We often crave normal. When you’re pregnant, you take comfort in hearing that the weird new symptoms you’re experiencing are normal. When you have kids, you sleep easier when you learn that your daughter’s peculiar habit or hangup is normal for children of that age. When it comes to pregnancy and child development, normal is a good thing.
When it comes to just about everything else in life, normal kinda sucks.
Now I’ll admit that when life gets particularly hectic and I’ve been out of my routine, it feels good when things “get back to normal.” Because normal is comfortable, isn’t it? But normal is also the equivalent of average.
If your life were a book report, being normal would be like getting a “C.”
Life is like school in that nobody makes the honor roll for getting all Cs. When it comes to life, I don’t think we should be shooting for normal.
“Normal” people are in debt up to their eyeballs.
“Normal” people get divorced at least once.
“Normal” people spend at least four hours a day watching television.
“Normal” people have kids who spend most of their waking hours in daycare or school.
“Normal” people say yes to everything and complain about not having a free weekend.
“Normal” people go through the motions when it comes to faith, if they believe in God at all.
“Normal” people run around like chickens with their heads cut off because they and their families are involved in too much stuff.
“Normal” people work jobs that they don’t like in order to buy things they don’t need to impress people they don’t care about.
“Normal” people wait for some sort of tragedy or bad news from the doctor before they do anything to change their lives for the better.
Normal sucks.
Count me out.
You?
i’m out.
even as a kid (sometimes) i remember wanting to do things that no one else was doing. being different is cool. normal is boring.
Now that summed it up nicely. Normal? NO! I sure don’t want to be “normal.” I want to be ME! :) Here’s an example: while at work I tried to use words like stellar, fabulous, and spectacular in response to “How are you?” People are stunned almost silent. It makes me laugh that the more fun I have with phone calls and boring stuff, the stranger people think I am.
Funny and kind of a sad state of affairs all at once, huh? Keep on rocking with your stellar rebellious self, Shirley!
I’m trying to redesign my life around more minimalist and fun principals, and I just feel the need to say – please leave off the judgements about divorce. I didn’t want to get divorced. It wasn’t fun. I sure hope I don’t go through it again. And I think that’s pretty universal of the divorce experience.
Hey Sarah,
Even though current statistics may show that divorce is “normal,” it certainly isn’t EVER fun. So sorry you had to experience it firsthand. Best wishes as you redesign your life — may it be filled with all the joy, happiness, and fun you deserve!