I have never been fond of the term 'normal'. The definition states that 'normal' is an adjective that means 'conforming to a standard, usual, typical, or expected'.
Maybe my distaste for this word came from that fact that one person's normal, isn't necessarily the next person's normal. And just because something 'normally' happens, that doesn't mean that it is something that 'should' happen.
'Nornal' - I've been extremely near-sighted my whole life. I started wearing glasses in elementary school. So my 'normal' vision was horrible and if I did not accept a medical intervention and start wearing glasses, my life would have been very limited.
'Normal' - I came from a household that valued education and knowledge. It was normal to have conversations around the dinner table that encouraged us to expand our own viewpoints. It was normal, and expected of us, to respect each other's opinions, even if they were different from our own. One day in middle school I went home with a friend from school. At the dinner table that night, differing opinions were NOT welcome! That was my friend's 'normal', but not a normal that I valued or wanted in my life.
Normal also doesn't mean excellent or outstanding. In many careers and industries, if you are normal it is easy be overlooked. Your career could become stale and unrewarding very quickly.
As more and more people are becoming vaccinated, there has been a lot of talk lately about 'life getting back to normal' - but I don't think that our previous normal is what we should be striving for.
And maybe, just maybe, we need to be striving for 'BETTER'!
Maybe my distaste for this word came from that fact that one person's normal, isn't necessarily the next person's normal. And just because something 'normally' happens, that doesn't mean that it is something that 'should' happen.
'Nornal' - I've been extremely near-sighted my whole life. I started wearing glasses in elementary school. So my 'normal' vision was horrible and if I did not accept a medical intervention and start wearing glasses, my life would have been very limited.
'Normal' - I came from a household that valued education and knowledge. It was normal to have conversations around the dinner table that encouraged us to expand our own viewpoints. It was normal, and expected of us, to respect each other's opinions, even if they were different from our own. One day in middle school I went home with a friend from school. At the dinner table that night, differing opinions were NOT welcome! That was my friend's 'normal', but not a normal that I valued or wanted in my life.
Normal also doesn't mean excellent or outstanding. In many careers and industries, if you are normal it is easy be overlooked. Your career could become stale and unrewarding very quickly.
As more and more people are becoming vaccinated, there has been a lot of talk lately about 'life getting back to normal' - but I don't think that our previous normal is what we should be striving for.
And maybe, just maybe, we need to be striving for 'BETTER'!
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