New Normal?

Clearly, I have lived a charmed life. I talked to an acquaintance today and listened as she told me about an issue she was going through with a certain person in her life. As she replayed (ad nauseam) her current situation, I couldn't help but think that she assumed the chaotic, dysfunctional relationship she was in was normal. Have I just lived such a sheltered life to the point where physical and emotional abuse, lying, cheating and drug usage were normal events occurring in life? Now, don't get me wrong. I have a close family member who battles addictive behaviors, repeated incarceration, and all manner of foolishness; but in my mind, my loved one's situation is not at all what I would consider normal.

As I gave it a little more thought, I asked myself just what normal is anyway. I had always considered the term 'normal' to mean something that follows traditional societal norms. But is it more subjective than that? Perhaps, to some people, those events in their lives really are normal because they follow along the general norms within their established communities. So maybe this acquaintance of mine sees me and my life as something abnormal. Interesting thought. That said, however, my 'normal' works for me, and I would certainly not change it to fit anyone else's definition.