You may have heard me say this before, but “normal” is not a point along a spectrum with a defined set of criteria.  No, “normal” is the spectrum itself.  There is a wide range of “normal” that is considered to be within acceptable limits.

That being said, we’ve witnessed a very wide spectrum of “normal” in the past few weeks.  Some have gone about their business in the same way they typically did, with heightened precautions – masks, gloves, standing 6-feet apart, making fewer trips to the grocery store.  These may have been “essential” workers, or people that chose one narrative.  While others have hunkered down, stayed at home – maybe even worked from home, and left only minimally in the past few weeks.  Subscribers to a different narrative.

This would all considered to be “normal” under the circumstances.

But what will our new “normal” look like?

For some, the past few weeks have been a time of closer connection – banding together to help neighbors or to connect with the family they were staying at home with.  Health care workers have banded together in a heroic fashion to serve their communities, and will hopefully earn some much needed rest, but may need our support now, as they finally allow themselves to feel the weight of what they accomplished.

For others, this has been a highly divisive time.  Many have found reason to argue adamantly against both sides of the discussion – “too much regulation” versus “not doing enough”.  Any decision has positive and negative consequences.  Social media has allowed us to share our opinions on those decisions and their consequences quite freely.  And the “normal” opinions can vary quite widely and divisively.

So as we look to the new normal, the progression of returning to what used to be, with the addition of what recently was, how will you decide – how will choose to act and to be?

One side of “normal” would be to seek to re-engage in experience you missed, or even continue to embrace the experience where you are.  To express creativity, even if it means engaging in creative dialogue around the differences of the past few weeks.  It could mean stepping outside your self, and seeking to serve your family, friends, or community in whatever way you are capable or find appropriate, as we’ve seen in many heroic examples of the past few weeks.

The other side of “normal” could be to focus on frustration and anger – to argue the decisions you didn’t think were ‘right’, or maybe things that happened to you that truly weren’t ‘right’.  You could focus on the difficulties you endured over the past few weeks or months, and the exhaustion that you feel.  You could focus on the suffering, and not find any meaning in it.

We all have choices, every day.  This situation has forced us to confront decisions we may never have thought possible in our lifetimes.  There is a wide range of “normal” choices.  Some choices lead to meaning, others lead to further suffering.

We will continue to face new decisions as the world slowly seeks to “return to normal”.  I hope you choose meaning.