Normal

What do we mean when we think of some people as being ‘normal’? Those of us who have a disease, such as this “glorious” leukemia, think of healthy people as ‘normal’. We say things like, “God it would be nice to be normal again.” Or, “I used to have a normal life.”

When I had major financial difficulties I remember wishing I had a normal life like before.

But when my financial situation changed for the better – not much cash but very little debt, I didn’t suddenly become ‘normal’. In fact, looking back I realized I never have been normal.

Now with Leuk in my life you could say I’m not as normal as other people. Yeah. True. But so what?

I don’t think there really is a ‘normal’, or if there is I sure as heck don’t want to be it.

I have talents that not everyone has – writing, photography, drumming (although I am lousy at it, I played in a band for eight years), scuba diving, sailing, and wasting a great deal of time watching movies. Well, okay, a really LOT of us do that last one.

I don’t have talents in other areas. I’m a terrible singer. No, I mean really terrible (but I still belt songs out in the shower). If I built a house it would fall over in a light wind. I don’t climb mountains (gravity is a bitch). When I paint, if ever, I have to call it Abstract Art. I mean, REALLY abstract; like geez-that-was-a-waste-of-paint type abstract. And I hate broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, Indian food, and rap music.

Speaking of talents, I apparently have a good one for getting leukemia. I’m a real expert at that.

These talents, and lack there of, are normal for me but not for the next guy. In order for there to be ‘normal’ people there has to be a lot of folks with the exact talents doing exactly the same thing. I don’t know about snow flakes, but I’m sure that none of the seven billion people on this planet are perfectly alike. And that goes for twins too.

There is not a Normal Club out there. Perhaps there should be an NA (Normalaholics Anonymous) though for people who actually think they are normal.

So I suggest we all give up on this phony ‘Normal’ psychosis and aim for being great instead.