–adjective
1. conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural.
2. serving to establish a standard.
Psychology .
a. approximately average in any psychological trait, as intelligence, personality, or emotional adjustment.
b. free from any mental disorder; sane.
Ouch!!! I must admit, I've always wondered...who exactly comes up with these definitions? And who is "normal" anyhow? My favorite painter is Vincent VanGogh. Not only is a talented artist, but he struggled with bipolar illness. He was born in 1853 and was unknown for most of his life. He did some crazy things, by some people's standards, but all the while he was busy creating beautiful work. Shortly before his death, he spent some time in an asylum, where he painted my favorite work of all...the Wheat Field With Cypresses. If you notice everything seems to be leaning to the left with the exception of the one large cypress tree. It is standing straight and tall. I'm sure many interpretations have been made about this, but here's mine. I believe he felt very alone. Possibly very different from those around him. However, who's to say that he is not normal? Who's to say that society as a whole is not abnormal? I've never really cared for those words, as they are so relative. Mike, on his trip to London, purchased a necklace for me. It has a beautiful charm of a cypress tree hanging proudly from it. I believe I am that cypress tree from the painting. No matter what, I am going to remain standing straight and tall, even if I may be considered abnormal...by the dictionary's definition.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Corinthians 12:27
1 Corinthians 12:27
Hi, Ashley. I'm 58 (I thought this pertinent information)and am just now trying to find out if anyone has any symptoms similar to my husband. I'm trying to develop a plan of action. I really need one. There is probably ten thousand dollars worth of damage to my home because of my husband's "symptoms".
ReplyDeleteThese symptoms have been observed by me (his estranged wife) for 32 years but I have only been able to deal with situations up to now. I'm in a quandary, know there is something wrong, and need to develop a plan of action.
There are things that go wrong with people. You mentioned Van Gogh. Here's one description: "Diagnoses which have been put forward include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, syphilis, poisoning from swallowed paints, temporal lobe epilepsy and acute intermittent porphyria. Any of these could have been the culprit and been aggravated by malnutrition, overwork, insomnia, and a fondness for alcohol, and absinthe in particular.
It's a scary prospect to say that someone is not normal. But it's a fact of life. Things go wrong, people change, they get sick, they make bad choices. Only God makes all things new again.