What Does Our Future Normal Look Like?

INTRODUCTION:

Everyone talks about getting back to normal. I must ask you, what the heck is normal? Everyone's normal is different as it applies to their life. Therefore, are two or more normals ever the same? Also, what about your previous normal? Were you happy with it?

Look, I get it. We all complain about things during "Normal" times. Normal being defined as the life we are living at the time. How many times have you said I'm bored? Was your normal boring? The one thing the pandemic did do was cause each of us to change what we considered was normal. Socially, it is now referred to as "The New Normal." For God's sake, most of us could not figure out what the heck was normal before the pandemic now. To add insult to injury, we will have the scientists, doctors, and government tell us what the "New Normal" will be. Sorry, that is not a concept I can buy into.

NORMALITY:

By definition, normality is the condition of being normal, the state of being usual, typical, or expected. I've said this before. Most people are predictable. They follow the same routine day in and day out. Please stop at the same corner store or coffee shop each day on their way to work. Follow the same route of travel. Talk to any police officer. They never worry about the "Normal" people because their routine is always the same. They know where and when to find them. Criminals, on the other hand, NEVER follow the same routine. That is why they are more difficult to catch. Those folks that are normal will become extremely shaken up when their normal routine is changed. It's like they are lost in space. Normality leads to habit, and habits are hard to break. Now, don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with a routine or having a sense of what is normal for you. However, People need to have the ability to adapt.

Proof of this was during the pandemic. People were forced into changing their sense of normality because so much changed. Those that adapted did better than those that could not. This led to drastic increases in domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, and depression. Depression was particularly alarming in our youth and still is. In many cases, this affected an entire family. Now let's add the further complications of financial difficulties to the mix and what we have is a recipe for disaster. Do you think these people will get back to their normal, especially when everyone is telling them that normal will be different?

WHAT DOES NORMAL GET YOU?

I am in no way telling anyone how to live their life. Different strokes for different folks, as the saying goes. However, in my opinion, I live what I consider is normal life for me. Some things are written in stone, and others are off the cuff—meaning, spontaneous. Also, I believe that no one will tell me what will be my normal. One of the rights that comes with life is the right to live it as you choose. Within reason, of course, because we each have some form of responsibilities we need to meet. Work, our children, our partner, and especially ourselves.

However, people's time management skills are horrible, so most times, their downtime or time of enjoyment is sacrificed. Life is a funny thing. Unless you are rich, you either live above your means, and life and normality get you nowhere, or you don't want so much, live within your means, and enjoy life. Normal is not a bad thing depending on how you define it and choose to live it.

That's the key. It would be best if you decided what your normal will be. Not others doing it for you. Coming from the medical field, I look at all these guidelines. Some make perfect sense, and others are totally ridiculous. You almost need an app on your phone where you can input what you are doing, and the guidelines for that activity will come up for you to review because God knows you can't remember them all. Maybe people need a stamp on their foreheads that reads, "I HAVE BEEN VACCINATED." That might save pages of guidelines. And by the way, I am NOT knocking vaccination. I happen to believe it is a necessary step for our personal health and the health of others. However, that is a personal choice. You can drive 60 mph on the highway and get into an accident, and be killed. The same can also happen if you drive 120 mph, but the facts are that the risks are higher at 120 mph than at 60 mph. People take those risks each day. I only say, when you roll the dice and crap out, don't complain about it.

WHAT DOES OUR FUTURE NORMAL LOOK LIKE?

Wow, doesn't the term FUTURE NORMAL get under your skin? It does mine. It does because I perceive it to me that someone other than myself is going to determine what is normal for me, and that's all we hear about. Along with the fact that not even the experts can agree. One doctor says once we reach herd immunity, and for those of you that really don't understand what that means, here it is courtesy of Oxford.;

"Herd Immunity is resistance to the spread of an infectious disease within a population that is based on pre-existing immunity of a high proportion of individuals as a result of previous infection or vaccination." "The level of vaccination needed to achieve herd immunity varies by disease but ranges from 83 to 94 percent."

Some doctors say we will be wearing masks for a couple of years to come. Others say only under certain circumstances, and others say they will no longer be required, and some even say they are not required now. Many states are already completely reopening with no mask mandates. Therefore, which experts are right, and which are wrong? Which ones do you want to determine what your normal will be? Shall we put on a blindfold and pick a door, spin the bottle, or buy who has a nicer smile? The answer is; NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE FUTRE NORMAL WILL LOOK LIKE. However, I do and will tell you in my closing. Years back, people found it easier to make choices because they were not presented with a wide variety to choose from, for example. When cell phones first came out, an individual could only choose from two or three models. Now you have multiple, at the very least, to choose from. This goes with almost everything. Choices are great as they do not lead to massive confusion, and the one thing we know for sure that came from this pandemic is massive confusion.

The interesting part about the future of anything is, no one can predict it. No one can really be ready for it becomes no one knows what it will be. All we can do is form a plan for the various possibilities in our feeble attempt to be ready for whatever is about to come. Many do not remember, even I don't, but those of you that do can remember the days when governments first introduced nuclear weapons. Many rushed out and had a nuclear fallout shelter built in their yard. Please read up on it, it was quite the fad at the time, and people were quite serious about it. I will not build or install a fallout shelter in my yard due to covid-19.

IN CLOSING:

This portion is my opinion. What works for the type of person I am, how I do my research, and based on these factors, the choices I make. Clearly, your choices are your own. Here is the answer no one else can answer regarding what the future normal will look like.

IT WILL BE THE NORMAL OF MY CHOOSING. What I want my normality in my life to look like and be. Why? Because no expert lives my life, and most do not even follow their own preachings. If a person is of sound body and mind, no one better than they can determine what is normal for them. Do not be mistaken. My choices for what is normal are based on sound logic and research because I am not always ready to believe everything I am told and take it as the gospel from God. Along with any choices we make must comes a degree of common sense, or all we are doing is exercising our internal sense of stupidity, and trust me, we all have that internal sense of stupidity. That portion of our mind that causes us to act and not think first. Sometimes we get away with it, and other times it bites us in the rear. I prefer to keep my butt intact.

What we have left is an opportunity to institute change. Especially since, for the past year and a half, our lives have been turned upside down. Now is the time and the opportunity to look at how we have lived and determine if we want to change anything. Regardless of your choice, that is what your FUTURE NORMAL will look like and be. That is the beauty of freedom of choice. A right we all have, yet very few actually exercise.

Stay safe and be well. Thank you.