Normal

What is normal person exactly?Let's turn to the Dictionary for a moment, and see how the word normal pertains to people...

A : of, relating to, or characterized by average intelligence or development

B : free from mental disorder : sane

So, we've got a person who is sane (or free of any mental disorder), and/or a person who is of average intelligence or development.

I don't think I've ever met a person who doesn't suffer at least a minor mental disorder. And, because averages are constantly changing, I really have a hard time evaluating what "average" intelligence or development are.

Intelligence, to me, falls into a million different categories, and, having children of my own, I've seen that coming up with an "average" development is nearly impossible. Aren't we all a little different in our areas of intelligence and development?

So, we are forced to pick out who is "normal" based on what a group of "intelligent" people decide is normal intelligence and development?

I read somewhere once that Albert Einstein wasn't considered intelligent as a youth. But, look at what happened with him. He became the father of nuclear physics, and a historically renowned mathematician.

Now, does that mean that being normal isn't always better?

So why do we all strive, at some point in our lives, to be normal?

Look throughout history, and, in almost any area of expertise or achievement, you find someone who doesn't fall under the spectrum of this thing called normal.

You've got Albert Einstein, Nicola Tesla, Winston Churchill, Leonardo Da' Vinci just to name a few.

They were all "masters" in their fields, but were not necessarily considered normal. In fact they were, more often than not, considered mad, crazy, loose a few screws. 

On the other end of that spectrum, you've got serial killers(who are often extremely intelligent people), and the recent string of shooters, who are described as often being of high intelligence.

Now wait a minute here. We've got this list of people who were often considered eccentric, or crazy, on the list of "masters", and, on the list of people we consider crazy after they commit an act of extreme cruelty, we find people that were initially thought of as intelligent.

What's that say about the definition of normal? Does it mean that "normal" people are more likely to commit crimes, and eccentric people are more likely to achieve great success?

Just a thought. Isn't that what you're here for?

*The above definition of normal is from the online Mirriam-Webster Dictionary

Your Thing is...

Well, what is it? Playing guitar, doodling, writing, singing 80's hair band music, designing your own clothing...

If you don't know, take a moment and try to think of that one thing you can zone into.

Have you got it?

If you do, examine your thing for a moment(yes, you may giggle).

If no, well, stop right here, don't read any further just yet, do not collect two-hundred dollars.

Your reading this either way aren't you?

Well, there's nothing I can do about it, but remember, I gave fair warning. There are spoilers ahead.

The most well kept secret in life is this:

Finding that one thing that you can really get into is the greatest stress reliever in the world. It's better than any drug on the market(or off, for that matter), it will help treat sadness, loneliness, feeling of inadequacy, and, as long as it's not a dangerous thing, contains no negative side effects.

So, how can you tell when you've really found your thing? Well, I've put together a few things I believe are the building block of what a thing consists of below.

1. It does no real harm to you or anyone else. Of course, playing guitar causes some minor damage called calluses. But, hopefully those of you reading this have a fairly good grasp on what I mean by harm. I'm crossing my fingers here.
2. It's something you think about doing even in the middle of the busiest day of your life.
3. If it paid well enough, you'd do this thing for a living and be deliriously happy about it.
4. Your thing makes you happy, even if your not smiling while doing it.
5. You instantly feel the negative energy begin to flow out of you the instant your really zoned into your thing.
6. And, finally, when you're into your thing, time has no real meaning. Hours may go by without you noticing.  

Okay, for those of you whom I left to examine their thing, does it fit into the above list? Or, is there more to it for you? I'd love to hear from you, hear what your thing is and what words come to mind when you think of it. Or, maybe your not a word person, maybe your more visual. Than send me a picture of what relaxes you and helps you escape. You can leave your words in the comments section of this post, or e-mail me a picture at creativejoe83@gmail.com.

Social Therapy

Sometimes you just need someone, anyone, to talk to. But, what if you have nobody to in your life

willing to stop and listen. Maybe your family or friends are too busy, wouldn't understand, or, maybe,

you don't have any family or friends to talk to.

Then what?

That is where my theory in a phenomenon I've come to think of as "Social Therapy" comes into play.

Now, I don't have any college degree's in therapy or psychology, but I have the one thing that

all of us gain throughout our lives, experience.

The majority of my working life has been spent in customer service. And, it is through my experiences

in this field, that I came to notice "Social Therapy".

So, you ask, what is social therapy?

It's simple really. It is what happens when people experience what I described at the beginning of this post.

Social Therapy is when people begin to overflow with memories, thoughts, ideas, emotions, life stresses,

and they have no one to turn to in their personal lives to share it all with.

For the most part, this form of therapy seems to occur mostly in the fifty and over crowd.

Now we've all heard tales of people pouring their hearts out to bartenders, sharing secrets with their hair

dresser, etc. But, what if it's something that isn't nearly that limited?

I believe social therapy can, and often does, occur in any environment where there is any sort of public

interaction.

I myself have heard many, many tales of childhood adventures, lost loved ones, divorces, marriages,

tales of hero's, and of villains. I've also received tons of advice on how to live life to your fullest.

Politics, religion, you name it. I've had debates, discussions, chats about just about everything with

my customers. And, surprisingly, I've never had any of it go south. It's always cordial and informative.

The people who talk to me just want to speak, to be heard, to share. They often aren't concerned

about agreeing or disagreeing, just about the interaction itself.

And, I've discovered, in a weird sort of way, social therapy ends up often not only helping them, but

making me open my eyes, re-think things I believe in, and open my eyes to things I'd never stopped

to think about on my own.

In sum, I don't believe "Social Therapy" is something that has ever been limited to one or two professions,

nor do I believe it's something unique to the time in which we live. It's most often in people we term "elderly",

I believe, because that's often the age when people are kind of forgotten about. And, I believe, social

therapy is healthy and enlightening to both parties, and carries with it the very building blocks of how

social of an animal  human beings really are.


*Image courtesy of "Ambro" / FreeDigitalPhotos.net