Talking with Piece: That's not Normal


Truthfully, when Piece said that he wanted to sit down today and make a video about "normal" I thought "What? That's not much of a video. We all know that there is no such thing as normal," but listening to him talk made me look at it a little differently then I had before.

Yes. I have spent 16 years telling him, and then his sisters and anyone who would listen, that there is no such thing as normal and that even if their were, would you want to be normal? that just sounds boring to me. But I think it might go a little deeper then that.

Normal is an illusion. Normal is a projection of what we perceive to be normal or abnormal. We gather information based on our experiences and decide that, because this is what we see, this is normal and, because this is what we don't see, that's abnormal. We listen to others talk and adopt their ideas of normal and what is expected and deemed socially acceptable and we take it onto ourselves. We then adjust our behaviors, our words, our selves to project the image of what we have decided to be desirable and expected, therefor, we believe, earning the title of normal. Of course, we attempt to project the image of rejecting all of those things should we choose to be abnormal.

But that's not normal and normal is not a solidified thing. It's fluid, like the ocean, creating waves and bringing in change with each season, each year and each generation but, mostly, with every situation. We just become so preoccupied with appearing to be normal or abnormal that we forget that it changes, that it isn't even real.

What is the real normal? It's struggles. It's questioning ourselves. It's learning how to love ourselves and, more importantly, trust ourselves and learning who we are. Normal is feeling like we are losing it when things get to be a lot and dreaming of some days. That's normal, and even among those pieces of normal is a pile of differences among the individuals. That's why we say there is no normal. Because normal is a concept, the application and what is produced from it is unique amongst us all. 

And that might just be the coolest thing about being normal. 

Did you know that this topic was thought of by Piece and that he made his own video about it? See for yourself here!

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