We have a new normal. Here is what it looks like.
- Sleeping in five different beds over the past 15 days
- Waking up each morning having to orient yourself to which direction the bathroom is
- Running through the airport like OJ Simpson to catch your next flight, only to have them close the door as you arrive at the gate
- Six 1 ounce bags of pretzels and six 3 ounces mini glasses of Pepsi to meet your every hunger need as you fly from one city to the next
- Sitting next to strangers from around the world all battling for the treasured 8 inches of arm rest that separates you from your neighbor
- Missing friends from Florida as you reestablish friendships with friends in Wisconsin and New York
- Waking up with little voices saying, “Poppie can you read me a book, play hide and seek, or just cuddle?”
- Closing down one house and opening up another
- Holding mail, forwarding mail, and losing mail
This is our new normal. Often it is challenging. It is always exciting. It is not wrong. It isn’t abnormal. It is our new normal. If I fight against it it crushes me. When I embrace it and accept it, it no longer scares me or overwhelms me. It becomes the norm.
I remember the first time we had to establish a “New Norm” as we cared for David. At the age of eight, David began to lose his vision. To be honest, we thought the world was coming to an end. I remember thinking, how will we ever survive? How will David read, walk, or enjoy life without his vision? Well, guess what? David learned to read braille, he continued to love playing outside with friends, and we survived. We established our first new normal. It was often challenging. It was always exciting. It wasn’t wrong. It wan’t abnormal. It had become our new normal. Once we embraced it and accepted it, it no longer scared us or overwhelmed us so much. It became our new normal.
Do you remember the first time you had to reset normal in your life? What was it? What helped you the most to help you establish your new normal? Do you have any suggestions, ideas, or experiences that would help someone who may be facing their first “New Normal?” I hope many of you will share something that just might help someone who is feeling alone and afraid.
PS: Don’t forget that normal is simply a setting on your dryer!