What’s the difference between normal and novel? How does your normal differ from someone else’s? What does it mean for something to become normalized?

Travel back in time to when you were a little kid, nine or ten years old at the most. What was it like in your mom’s kitchen? Your house? Your backyard?

Whatever it was, it was normal.

Then one day you found yourself at a friend’s house and your world turned upside down. You discovered that your version of normal and theirs weren’t the same at all.

In some families, ketchup is not a vegetable. There are people who do not live with the TV set blaring 24 hours a day. Some people don’t wear shoes inside the house!

Now take a look at yourself as a grown-up. Your home feels normal. Your town, your city, your state or province or department, etc. You’ll notice this more coming home from a trip.

Look inside. Maybe you have some minor ache or pain that you’ve gotten so used to you hardly notice anymore. Is it easier to ignore than to address?

Perhaps there’s some less-than-loving behavior on the part of a family member or work colleague that you’ve put up with so long that’s it’s like part of the wallpaper.

The point is that we humans tend to get used to whatever is going on around or within us fairly quickly. The default state of our environment rapidly becomes our new normal.

You see a lot of talk nowadays about things getting normalized. This often refers to things that were once considered distasteful or beyond the pale, becoming palatable or at least tolerated in polite society.

There’s an underlying assumption that one person’s normal is much the same as someone else’s. But the fact is, there are as many versions of normal as there are human beings on the planet.

The only version of normal that matters is yours. Understanding that about not only yourself, but everyone else, is a way to bring a little more compassion into the world.

Notice your normal and ask yourself if anything’s off-kilter. You might not be able to turn on a dime, but see if you can balance things out with something new and novel and nourishing to your soul.

Sometimes it’s worth taking the words of Jah Wobble to heart. Reminding yourself to be kind, forgiving, and grateful can go a long way towards being ok with whatever is going on in the here and now. It’s easier to be nice to yourself if you extend the courtesy to others.

Novelty comes in all shapes and sizes. Find some that fits with your highest vision and make it your new normal.

Much love till next Monday!

Merci et à bientôt!

M+

ML #694

Mark Metz
Monday Love Movement Calendar