The Value of "Normal"

 As we continue to suffer, and hopefully learn from, some seriously challenging times, we sometimes think back to when things were 'Normal.'  

Back then, most of us woke to a normal day, had a normal breakfast, went to a normal job or school, drove there on normal roads in normal traffic and weather, and at the end of the normal day, we returned to our normal home and enjoyed our sleep in our normal way. 

We sometimes met our normal friends, and even met new normal folk, down at the normally fun restaurant or pub, and returned home the normal route with normal precautions after having our normal adult beverage.

"Normal" felt good, and although our lives sometimes got a little more complicated, it was nothing we couldn't handle.  Then life would return to normal again.  It always did.

Then suddenly out of nowhere our normal lives were forced to deal with a threat like none other.  We were successfully and deliberately attacked by a few determined religious fanatics turned terrorists who completely took away our comfort zone and replaced it with fear and anger and retribution - something we could normally handle on a small, personal scale.  

The attack, as it became disturbingly clear to us, was against America as a God-Fearing nation, and its God-Fearing citizens, along with anyone else, no matter their religious beliefs.  

This attack was also an indication and a promise that a 'new normal' would be our reality from then on. 

Both the devout and the not-so-devout Christians among us became confused with our country's relationship with God and started asking questions.  

Questions like: 

    "Why would God allow this to happen?"  

    "Had God chosen to hate America and take sides with the fanatics who attacked us?"  

    "How could God, Our God, continue as our God of compassion, Love, and Forgiveness?"

    "How could God expect us to just turn the other cheek?

We fought wars of retribution and revenge, and wars of prevention: each of which we paid a heavy price for what apparently accomplished nothing in the end.

Our tranquility and our resolve were left in tatters as our very own government made matters worse due to poor leadership and politically inspired influences that hid behind a false economy that was spurred on by continued war.  It is a debt that can never be repaid.  Nor blame accepted by those who made those decisions.

Meanwhile, we continue to be attacked relentlessly, mostly due to a weak Congress, a biased Supreme Court, a possibly deliberately introduced pandemic, and global warming that some deny exists.

Even our own citizens are being incited to overthrow our unique but fragile government.  Our citadel of democracy itself, the Capitol of the United States, was ransacked and pillaged by a flag-waving-hammer-swinging mob encouraged by a President who refused to accept the facts and truth of the single most identifying element of a democracy - the results of a vote-tally when citizens vote for their leaders.

I'm reminded of the old Mad Magazine character, Alfred E. Newman, with his caricature image saying, "What, Me worry?"

I think it may be time for us to start worrying...