A Brief Thought on Societal Expectations

I had to get my license renewed the other day and there was an hour-long wait, so, I decided to get some writing done. As I paused periodically to people watch, l began to wonder...are the complications of life that we think of as "abnormal" just a part of the human experence? Is it possible that the things that look, feel, or sound far-fetched or unhealthy, things we shame others for, things that we shun, or at least some of those things, are they what is actually normal, and the perfection we strive for is what is unrealistic and abnormal? I wondered how many people around me at that moment were feeling depressed or inadequate because they weren't meeting societal standards in career, love, personality or passions. Or how many people did everything the "right" way but are still miserable because the "right" way was/is actually wrong for them. It made me feel quite sad.

The best things you can do for yourself is live on your own terms. You have the opportunity to be an active participant in your own life, create your own standards, and own your own decisions. That is a gift. Don't squander it. Father time has no friends; start today.