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Our dog is deaf.  Our grandson has Downs.  We have a home.  And for each that is normal.

Our dog has no choice in the matter.  Nor our grandson either.  But we do.  We have a choice in what is our “normal”.  And I am discovering in this pandemic that “normal” is not something that is thrust upon me as I assumed for years – but something that I choose.

What is “normal”?

Old normal?   Rush-rush-rush- … busy-busy-busy … never enough time for sleeping … never enough time for all that had to be done – never enough time.  Holidays are a chance to relax and recharge.  A needed escape to come back for more “normal”.

New normal?  Slow-slow-slow … look-for-things-to-do … don’t-do-everything-now … save-some-for-tomorrow—or-next-week – there is so much time – time to fill – time that cannot be filled with rush-rush-rush.

I feel like a hamster who has seen the light. 

I now see that “wheel” in the corner as my choice.  I put it there.  I allowed it to be my normal.  Day-after-day spinning faster-and-faster to get … where?

I realise (maybe for the first time) that “normal” is not thrust upon me.  “Normal” is what I choose to allow into my life.  There is no “old normal” nor is there a “new normal” – there is me and what I allow – what I invite – what I choose to be MY “normal”  Always and every day..

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Our daughters are both much more “hands-on” mums than they have ever been.  Our son-in-laws too.   There is a little friction as there always will be with a combo of young children with boundless energy and also work to do and bills to pay.  But they are ALL  thriving more than any of us (and them) expected.

Our neighbours and us (as mentioned) are all finding out about each other after decades of not.   And our spending has gone down.  And the thought of being marshalled from home to airport, from airport queue to airport queue to tiny plane, to new airport queue to airport queue to new destination and more queues for a fortnight before repeating the whole thing coming home … all to “recharge our batteries” (really???)  … ALL of that doesn’t have quite the same appeal as four weeks ago.

Now it seems something that would be good to do if (a lot of ifs) … rather than my life is incomplete without having the next trip already planned.

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I choose my normal!

Who would have guessed!

😊

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