Normal

“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”

Samuel Johnson

Funny how we yearn for “normal” when our sense of “normal” has been disrupted. So often, I talk with people who have had major stresses, such as physical ailments, relationship problems, employment issues- you name it. When those events change the normal routines to which we have become accustomed, we yearn for a return to normal- a return to what we know, the things that are soothing and give comfort to us. Even enjoyable vacations get to a point where we just want to get home and “return to our normal routines”.

I suppose the corollary of this is that we may not appreciate “normal” when we have it. In other words, we can feel bored, or under stimulated with the “same things day after day”. We all establish our own sense of normal, and even people who live in somewhat of a chronic stressful situation can eventually come to see their daily lives as normal to them.

So, I guess that when we are in our daily routines, we probably should be thankful for those comforting habits. I admit that I default to that a lot. I like my routines, which give me a sense of control and predictability. Nothing wrong with that, I think. I am remembering to be grateful for such mundane routines that I have established.

In fact, gratitude should always be one of those habits.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the little daily things that make “normal” for us, Amen