Is that normal?
“What makes us normal is knowing that we’re not normal.” ~Haruki Murakami, novelist
When we were kids, we assumed “normal” was everything our parents did. Their normal was what their families, culture, or religion dictated. If we looked at our neighbors and saw they weren’t following the same program, we probably labeled them as odd or eccentric or … abnormal. We were oblivious to the likelihood that the neighbors thought we were weird, too.
The longer I live, the more I question what’s “normal” and what isn’t. And here’s the thing: When you venture out of your usual comfort zones — and meet a variety of other people — you realize that nobody thinks or lives exactly the way you do. ~CL
Cindy La Ferle
Throughout my career, I've worked as a book production editor, travel magazine editor, features writer, and weekly newspaper columnist. My award-winning lifestyles features and essays have appeared in many national magazines and anthologies, including Newsweek, Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer's Digest, Victoria, Better Homes & Gardens, Bella Grace, and more. My weekly Sunday "Life Lines" column ran for 14 years in The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI) and won a First Place (Local Columns) award from the Michigan Press Association. My essay collection, Writing Home, includes 93 previously published columns and essays focusing on parenthood and family life.
