What is 'normal'?

A number of years ago I was introduced to the term 'new normal'. At the time, it made sense and was totally appropriate for the context, but my ever changing life and circumstance have brought along a serious overuse of this term. I have developed a severe allergic reaction to the phrase, which is beginning to turn my stomach, every time I hear it uttered.

A part of 'new normal' for me, however, is getting used to the fact that my best friend, for so many years, isn't there anymore. Having lived together for 6 years, we knew what each other was thinking, could finish each others sentence and in fact, probably did. One thing that frequently used to happen is that we would quote lines of films to each other, as many people do, often doing this at the same time. A few times over the past few weeks, I have quoted lines which simply haven't been picked up on by the people around me. I now find that I'm stopping myself from chanting the obvious, as to others it simply isn't. It's one of those little things that makes me feel sad, when it happens.

Last night I was at a film night at church and bizarrely enough, the phrase 'new normal' was used. I wasn't sure whether to cringe or laugh, as I realised the person who I use this phrase most frequently with (or actually, usually hear it from) was not the same person I had lived with and who I would usually look out for.

I chuckled quietly, as I realised that that in itself is a 'new normal'.