If I were given a chance to choose the most enduring word of all time, I would zero in on ‘normal’. It might sound unremarkable but in our chaotic world, normal has come to mean the absence of conflicts, uncertainty, disease, deprivation, and all other irritants that affect the smooth passage of life. In fact, it is a word we crave to hear at every stage of life, from childhood to old age, whether it is about health, wealth, education, or relationships.
Once a baby is born, the first query invariably is whether it is a normal delivery, and if the mother and child are in proper health. Next, it is about the Apgar score — a screening test done to find out about the newborn’s overall physical condition. The relief that ensues the moment the doctor says “Everything’s normal!” is immeasurable. With the passage of time, similar scenes are bound to repeat themselves when one is in need of medical care due to ill-health or advancing years. Then, it is about blood pressure, glucose level, and all the other parameters that ought to be normal, that is, within the reference range.
Our concerns with normalcy persist as we cross every milestone in life, from nursery to school, college, and career. In reality, not many parents can reconcile themselves to the word ‘normal’, when it comes to mean ‘average’ as far as their wards are concerned. Ironically, their initial concern for the normal functioning of a child soon turns into a passion to fulfil their dreams through them. Hence, children wilt under parental pressure.
By and by, as we step into the material world of jobs or business, our mind is focused on income and the visible trappings of success. Here of course, many of us would love to have the prefix ‘ab’ to the word normal – as we look for an exceptional gain in the form of a windfall like a lottery prize or an unexpected inheritance or a booming stock market. However, the salaried middle class tends to be quite realistic. All we want is a reasonable cash flow every month.
But what is considered normal can keep changing with the times. While we grapple with life’s challenges, we realise that the trickiest area happens to be dealing with relationships. Time was when it required many mutual adjustments for relationships to be normal. But with the advent of the mobile phone, it is easier to sustain connections without being physically present. With social media platforms taking the lead in reminding us of birthdays and other important events, half the job is done. The rest is about making all the right noises through calls and text messages. Whether we like it or not, this is the new ‘normal’.
saraswathi100@yahoo.com
