Beautiful writing, Elina. I love the anchoring of the idea of normal in the landscape and the sunset and the sun rise. It's so true that there are so many binaries that we take as given and take as normal across the board which just simply aren't. As you say, it doesn't equate to natural. However, it is also true that the idea of something unchanging is seductive especially in our hectic world.
Not to make this about me, but it did also remind me a little of what we were talking about in the comments on my piece today - that idea of being an outsider. What is normal for others isn't for us, and many people like us. And the world is a better place for that!
Thank you, Jayne ❤️ You’re right, this is very much related to our chat. I think pondering what’s normal comes naturally (hah 😄) to those who feel like outsiders, one way or another. And though I’m biased, I agree with you: it does make the world a better place.
This is so lovely and poetic and I'm glad I sort of inspired this piece (though there's no way I could ever come close to capturing the beauty of your words, I read it twice to let it all sink in and is something I'll save to revisit from time to time).
I love the idea of natural operating on a different logic, and this line is brilliant: "Entire possibilities are dismissed because they don’t resemble what’s already in place." That's the essence of it.
This is great read Elina - I love the different aspects of this you pull out. I often think about how my life in different countries increased my capacity for what is normal, my brain accepted there are lots of different normals - both in cultural assumptions and in geographical and structural realities - yet its hard to grasp this if you have only ever known one. Once you do, there is so much more room for things to grow - as you put it naturally! (Which also makes me think of the EU regulations about bananas and all the natural bananas we no longer see in our stores).
Thank you for reading, Catriona! Yes, you're right - living in different countries makes it harder to believe in just one kind of normal. And 100% agree on bananas. The same goes for cucumbers.
Such a lovely and thoughtful read, Elina. It's making me consider how, as I get older, I'm developing naturally but perhaps not normally (by anyone's standards other than the people I share blood with, the person I'm married to, and the dogs I share pieces of soul with). I'd never considered one in the context of the other, but your exploration has made me feel I have a deeper and wiser sense of each. I do so wish, as you beautifully show here, that instead of being afraid or judgmental, people in general were more kindly curious about each other's normal.
Oh, I love that - being curious about each other's normal. This earth holds so many wonderful and weird normals at once, and that's what makes it marvellous. Thank you for reading, and for your thoughtful and wise words, as always ❤️
This is such a pertinent post, but I suppose this topic is probably always pertinent. I like the point about how natural produce is far from normal and how standardizing takes that naturalness away. It's a great illustration of your point!
Beautiful writing, Elina. I love the anchoring of the idea of normal in the landscape and the sunset and the sun rise. It's so true that there are so many binaries that we take as given and take as normal across the board which just simply aren't. As you say, it doesn't equate to natural. However, it is also true that the idea of something unchanging is seductive especially in our hectic world.
Not to make this about me, but it did also remind me a little of what we were talking about in the comments on my piece today - that idea of being an outsider. What is normal for others isn't for us, and many people like us. And the world is a better place for that!
Thank you, Jayne ❤️ You’re right, this is very much related to our chat. I think pondering what’s normal comes naturally (hah 😄) to those who feel like outsiders, one way or another. And though I’m biased, I agree with you: it does make the world a better place.
This is so lovely and poetic and I'm glad I sort of inspired this piece (though there's no way I could ever come close to capturing the beauty of your words, I read it twice to let it all sink in and is something I'll save to revisit from time to time).
I love the idea of natural operating on a different logic, and this line is brilliant: "Entire possibilities are dismissed because they don’t resemble what’s already in place." That's the essence of it.
Ohhh Daniel, you just made my day, and that makes me stumble over poetic words, so I'll just say thank you so much 🥰
This is great read Elina - I love the different aspects of this you pull out. I often think about how my life in different countries increased my capacity for what is normal, my brain accepted there are lots of different normals - both in cultural assumptions and in geographical and structural realities - yet its hard to grasp this if you have only ever known one. Once you do, there is so much more room for things to grow - as you put it naturally! (Which also makes me think of the EU regulations about bananas and all the natural bananas we no longer see in our stores).
Thank you for reading, Catriona! Yes, you're right - living in different countries makes it harder to believe in just one kind of normal. And 100% agree on bananas. The same goes for cucumbers.
Such a lovely and thoughtful read, Elina. It's making me consider how, as I get older, I'm developing naturally but perhaps not normally (by anyone's standards other than the people I share blood with, the person I'm married to, and the dogs I share pieces of soul with). I'd never considered one in the context of the other, but your exploration has made me feel I have a deeper and wiser sense of each. I do so wish, as you beautifully show here, that instead of being afraid or judgmental, people in general were more kindly curious about each other's normal.
Oh, I love that - being curious about each other's normal. This earth holds so many wonderful and weird normals at once, and that's what makes it marvellous. Thank you for reading, and for your thoughtful and wise words, as always ❤️
This is such a pertinent post, but I suppose this topic is probably always pertinent. I like the point about how natural produce is far from normal and how standardizing takes that naturalness away. It's a great illustration of your point!
Thank you, Michelle! It really is a recurring theme, isn't it? And yes, nature is a terrible team player when it comes to standardisation 😄