Most everyone wants to be perceived as normal until they find out exactly what that term means. Sometimes words don’t mean what we think they mean. Normal is perceived by most people as somewhat of an average Joe. A few of the synonyms include: commonplace, unexceptional and even ‘garden variety.’ If I were to overhear someone refer to me as ‘garden variety,’ I believe I would be offended. The opposite of or antonyms to ‘normal’ include words such as: abnormal, exceptional, extraordinary, odd and even strange. I don’t believe that I would like to be considered strange, etc., either. However, I wouldn’t mind being considered exceptional or extraordinary, at least in some ways. I remember one of the funniest movies I have ever seen was called ‘Young Frankenstein.’ When Herr Frankenstein was ready to install a brain into his monster creation, his assistant brought him one from a lab labeled ‘Abnormal.’ His assistant had read the label as if it had been taken from a person whose name was Abby Normal. Since seeing that movie, unusual behavior is always referred to, by me, as Abby Normal.
When I was studying for my advanced degree (nearly 40 years ago), I was required to take courses in research and statistics. One of the statistical terms used to determine whether a research finding is significantly different in a given population or whether it falls within the ‘normal’ range is called the ‘normal curve.’ Only one to two percent of most populations would be considered significantly different by falling at one end of that curve or the other. They would be considered different or abnormal to the study population based on a standard statistical formula or analysis. If the normal curve held true for the population in general, not very many people would be identified as ‘Abby Normal.’
I believe that most of us would like to think that we stand out from the crowd in one respect or another. We would like to think that we are smarter than average, better looking than average, faster than average, more talented than average or in some other way above average or normal. Maybe we would like to be considered below average when it comes to negative attributes, but in most respects we would like to be considered normal, or within a normal range.
Some of us may want to shine in a specific way by developing a skill or a talent that would put us above average in that particular skill. There are people who believe that we are born with certain abilities and that is it, regardless of what we do, we can’t change what we are. In other words, we cannot change the cards that we were dealt. That may be true, to some extent, but as Randy Pausch has said, “There are different ways to play your hand, and if we want a different outcome, we need to play the hand we were dealt differently.” If we are not happy with our normalcy, we can do something about it, at least in limited ways. ‘America’s Got Talent’ is evidence of that. Those who participate are generally average people who have worked at developing a specific talent. Denis Waitley said: “The winner’s edge is not in a gifted birth, a high IQ, or in talent. The winner’s edge is all in the attitude, not aptitude. Attitude is the criterion for success.” If what Waitley says is true, then there is hope for everyone who would like to develop a skill. We probably should be selective, however, in the skill we want to develop or specialize in. I rather doubt that I, for example, could decide tomorrow that I am going to become an opera singer or any number of other talents and expect to be successful.
I was watching an eleven year old girl sing on Public Television. She has a beautiful and mature operatic voice. She obviously had a lot of training but her talent was mostly genetic. Even though there is training and practice, some talents must come naturally. Not everyone can become anything they would like to be. I’m sure you get the drift. There is no one else who is going to change who we are or what talent or special skills we may develop; it has to come from us. As Les Brown has said, “Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.” In many cases, even those who have natural talent have to practice hour after hour every day of their lives.
I have always loved the parable of the talents: one was given five, one was given two, and one was given only one. It is not how many talents we have that determines our reward in Heaven. That will be based on what we do with the talents we are given, be it one or five. If we bury what we have been given or, in other words, fail to use it and increase it, then that which we were given shall be taken away from us and given to another. (Matthew 25:14–30) Regardless of the cards we are dealt, we must feel an obligation to make the most of them. Personally, I hesitate to describe anyone as normal or ‘garden variety,” as everyone is a child of our Heavenly Father, and that makes each and everyone of us special.