Normal

What is normal, I ask myself? 

Is there such a thing?

When we were younger, we took more risks. As we age, this little rock of fear finds its way into our architecture. We don’t jump. Climb. Learn a new skill. Or throw caution to the wind. 

Normal is a rollercoaster. 

The beauty of age is that most people who make it past five decades have the scars of life. We know that life serves up horror, hardship, breakdown, injustice, cruelty. Often all on the same plate at the same time.

We know joy because we know despair. We laugh, even as everything is destroyed. Not because it’s funny, but because laughing is sanity against the impossible.

In my thirties, the hardship was real, the textures and contours different. I endured and became richer in every way because of the experience.

In my fifties, the hardship was real, the textures and contours were different yet again.

At some point in time, wisdom has us realise that the hardship is not personal. Universe, God or the machine doesn’t have it in for you. Life is. 

Normal is everything. Not smooth.

If we take the lesson and learn, there is great value to be found in the hardship.

How we respond is where the richness is found.

Yesterday evening, in tears of frustration at a tech issue that was not of my doing and that had occupied the entirety of my day, I said to the support person, I cannot do this anymore. This issue is taking away from what is most precious. Evening time with my beloved. The tears and frustration were compounded by months of stress and frustration. The issue remained unresolved.

I pulled myself away. Precious moments were being lost, and the price was too high. 

What is normal? Perhaps the truer question is, when will there be some peace? Or, when will these times of intensity settle again? 

Photo Taken January 30th, 2026,  Article published January 30th 2026