What is normal?

As I was growing up, I always dreamed of having a life that felt familiar, with a loving family and a promising future. But I soon realized that the idea of normal was different for everyone, and I didn't quite know what that meant for me. For me, normal seemed to be those perfect love stories from the 80's that made our own lives feel lacking in comparison. This was especially true for me, coming from a dysfunctional background where my father struggled with addiction and my mother enabled him.

It was confusing as a child to try and understand what normal was supposed to look like. While I saw idealized versions of love and family on screen, my reality was filled with fear and uncertainty. It felt like my own version of normal was so far from what I saw in movies.

Growing up in such different worlds, it was hard for me to trust in the goodness around me. I searched for a sense of normalcy but never seemed to find it. I felt lost and unhappy, unsure of where to even begin. That's when I heard some wise advice: if you're not sure what you want, start by figuring out what you don't want. And for me, I knew I didn't want the kind of normal that had left me feeling unfulfilled for so long.

I realized that my version of normal didn't have to fit a mold - it could be whatever made me happy and content. I've learned to let go of society's expectations and focus on creating my own version of happiness. And in doing so, I've found that true satisfaction comes from being true to myself, regardless of what others may define as normal.