What is Normal?

There are many different things in this world that baffle me. I am constantly wondering about so many different things. The thoughts that run through my head change so rapidly that sometimes I can’t remember all the things that I have thought about in one day. I have no doubts that this is normal, but then my mind takes me to the question, “what is normal?” With all the diversity in the world, how can there be a definite definition of normal? I tie this with family. With all the different families in the world, how can there be one definition of family? Simply, I believe, that there cannot be one definition of family or normal. Those two words can mean different things to different people. Still, I always find myself asking the question, what is normal? No matter what goes through my head in one day, whether I remember it or not, I always want to know what is normal.

Today, I really thought it through. I broke it down in my head and decided, that normal can really only refer to the status of a medical procedure, behavior of your car, and other situations along those lines. When someone tells someone else, “that they are not normal” based on their personality that can always be debated. I am not much of a debater and I am often easily persuaded. However, I don’t understand why people can’t think of a different word than normal to describe someone’s personality. Try to pick an adjective that isn’t perceived differently by every person.

Describing someone’s individual personality as normal is just too blunt for me. I used to be the queen of blunt as well as viewing things in the black and white sense. Today, I am learning to not always look at the surface, but deeper. By changing my view on what normal really means, I can see so many different cultures that grace the Ames community and worldwide. It is indeed beautiful. I have learned that what is normal in one culture may not be normal in a different culture. Therefore, I will now not refer to someone who is different as not normal. Instead, I will think of a different word to describe them. This is because the differences that they possess bring beauty, significance, and mystery into the world. Without these differences, there would not be as much to learn or think about. There would be less excitement in everyday surroundings. Embrace difference, it is truly a miraculous thing.