Normal

What is a normal life? Is it a choice one makes or is it a series of decisions one is forced into? Having found oneself not with a normal life, can one elect to suddenly have one?

The definition of normal is "conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural."

Let's look at that a bit. Conforming. To the standard. Common. Usual. Not abnormal. Regular. Natural.

Wow, that sounds boring.

And it always has to me. I've never been one of those people who naturally conforms to the standard, who either naturally or very carefully fits in -- or who longs to be like everyone else when I'm not.

But neither have I swung the other way, overtly rebelling or simply unable to fit in. I fit in just fine, but I wouldn't say I'm normal. Thank heavens.

Several things have prompted these musings. One: I watched a ridiculous number of episodes of Mad Men last night. (It totally counts as research.) Two: a very dear friend of mine wished for a normal life the other night. I believe my exact response was to wrinkle my nose. "Why?" I didn't ask. "What does that even mean?" I also didn't ask.

What it seems to mean, when someone wishes for a "normal" life, is that they feel their life is abnormal and therefore any difficulties they are experiencing are in large part due to a series of much larger decisions that they have made over time that have led them to their current (abnormal) state. But that seems to me a counterproductive way of thinking about things. Wishing for a "normal" life is the opposite of making decisions and choices in one's everyday life that will change the aspects of one's situation that one is unhappy with. Because if you would really have been happy with a "normal" life, then you would have "naturally" fallen into one.

And you'd be just like everyone else.

Ew.