What does ordinary look like? Well, it depends. Everyone has a different ordinary that is just right for them. For most of us, ordinary is our normal. Ordinary is comforting. Ordinary is good. We get in trouble when we try to compare our ordinary with other people’s ordinary because we each have a different version.
Yes, there is comfort in the ordinary. It’s what we fall back on when things seem too overwhelming. I’m not one to read my daily horoscope or take a lot of stock in the signs of the Zodiac, but my sign is Cancer the Crab. Just like the crab, I crawl back up into my shell and hide when things aren’t ordinary. I like knowing the plan and what is going to happen next. Ordinary helps me stay in control.
Then along comes cancer, sickness and disease. Nothing is ordinary and we must learn to cope another way. We want our ordinary life back and our ordinary way of doing things but that is not to be for the foreseeable future. Everyone tries to tell you the best way to deal with this disease but they are not you. The worst part is the ones who try to give you the most advice are the ones who’ve never been through what you’re going through. They think they can compare their ordinary to yours or make your ordinary less important. They can’t and they shouldn’t.
You CAN listen to those who have been through what you’re going through. They have both knowledge and insight about this journey you are on. Ultimately though, you have to decide what your ordinary will be. Will you go back to your life before or will you develop a new ordinary; maybe even a better one? If your ordinary changes with what you’ve learned, then you’ll be all the wiser for the experiences you’ve endured. Ordinary is for YOU to decide!
Blessings, Cindy J
Footprints of Hope 