Unique and Normal

Embrace Your Continuing Story Of Uniqueness And Normality

The title I’ve chosen for this article seems improbably, doesn’t it? However, soon you will see that every single person is a marvelous expression of the seeming contradiction of being unique and normal!

Let me begin with a definition. Uniqueness is the quality of being the only one of its kind. So it’s easy to see that every single individual is inherently unique! Each and every human being is born absolutely, utterly, beautifully unique. We are each one-of-a-kind!

Now, normality is the state of being usual, typical, or expected. Every unique individual has traits, behaviors, words, and perspectives that, while unique to that individual, is also normal for him or her.

Collective, Social, And Individual Norms

What we must keep in mind is that there are collective or social norms for behaving in society at large. Also, there are family norms, religious and regional norms, as well as individual norms. So it can be said that my normality is unique.

Everything regarding me; including my values, lessons, words, and emotions, are normal for me and unique to me. However, I came into a family and a country, each of which had a set of accepted and expected norms of behavior. Those norms were what I observed and were presented with to learn about life and myself.

Likewise, your normality, while different than mine, is also unique. Your language, words, meanings, perspectives, and level of awareness were first inspired and shaped by your family and societal norms. Yet even though those circumstances may inspire them, they are still uniquely your own.

Some people may appear to share your perspective. However, if you were to examine each perspective very clearly, you will certainly find there are different reasons for having similar perspectives.

So many children begin life being conditioned and mesmerized by the collective norms that a majority of people grow up thinking they have to follow those norms. If they don’t, they are considered rebellious or even outcasts. I am sure that most families do their very best to help their children grow up to have a “normal” life. What that typically means is that the child will believe everything they are told or taught and will fall into line and behave like everyone else.

Make The Most Of Your Unique Normality

However, there are also many children who do not automatically believe everything they are told. There are many children whose uniqueness shines brightly from a very young age.

Their surroundings inform them; yet they question the ideas and concepts and form their own opinions that may diverge vastly from the established “norm.” Thus, they establish their own individual unique normality.

For instance, most people in the United States and other parts of the world take electricity, hot and cold running water, ready access to food, health care, education, and a whole, healthy body for granted. Those things are considered “normal.” However, that is not the case in many places throughout the world.

I know because I lived without those things. Many of those commonplace things were not part of the world I was born in. However, I very much lived without those so-called “normal” things. I lived in the middle of Eastern Europe and the middle of Africa. Without those commonplace things, I learned more about myself and the connection with spirituality than most people can learn in specific spiritual experiential training.

Please do not underestimate the importance of your uniqueness and your normality. Do appreciate what you have and live and be grateful for everything. You must acknowledge your own uniqueness and normality instead of giving it up or losing it. Your normality is your uniqueness. You may shift into new ways of being as you truly understand that your “normal” is unique to You. Each human being is merely a different perspective in a world of multitudes of unique normality.

And now, for all the world, a brand-new normality is being born and we are part of this emerging new normality of 2020.

Reach out to me.

First published on April 14, 2020