Don't Be Normal

The 7 year old son of some good friends recently paid me the compliment of being "super funny and kinda weird." I don't know that I have ever been given a better compliment. I am very glad that it was 'super funny and kinda weird' and not 'kinda funny and super weird.' I was told by his parents that he loves "weird" whatever that might mean.

As a lifelong fan of weirdness in a variety of forms I felt encouraged to see a young person not drawn to what is 'normal.'. Too many people spend too much time and energy trying to be 'normal.'  There is nothing particularly wrong or bad about 'normal' but generally speaking 'normal' doesn't challenge, inspire, and provoke in the same way.

• Normal doesn't risk. It sticks to what is known.
• Normal doesn't pursue big dreams if it dreams at all.
• Normal doesn't create beauty. It only imitates.
• Normal can't bring change. It is about conformity and the status quo.
• Normal won't bring out people's best. Uniqueness is not appreciated by normal.
• Normal is not in fact real. Whatever your 'normal' might be it is really only a projection of some of your assumptions.
• Normal stifles questions. New possibilities and unexplored horizons don't interest 'normal."
• Normal is boring. It's fine for a while but real life is far more adventurous and irregular.

Sometimes 'weird' and 'not normal' are bad, wrong, immoral, or indecent and it should be avoided. But far more often 'weird' and 'not normal' are creative, inventive, hilarious and beautiful gifts to those who experience them. So today, indulge yourself in a bit of weirdness. I'll get you started: