Not Normal, but Better

Michelle Obama hosted her friend and journalist, Michele Norris, on her podcast this past July (2021). When speaking about our new world, Michele stated, "my greatest hope is that we don't reach for normal, we reach for better."

As you know, the events of 2020 exposed who we really are. And while it's a wild spectrum — from life-saving health care teams, to steadfast cult followers, to passionate individuals taking to the streets, to screaming Karen's at Starbucks — at least we can say we know where everyone stands.

We can work with this. No more ignorance. No more hiding. No more too busy to notice. Now, we know.

We know that some people won't make small sacrifices for the greater good. We know racism exists, and is alive and well in many people's hearts. We know that people are scared, lonely, and suffering from severe, untreated mental health issues. We know that our economic model is failing many, including our planet.

This was our normal. It just wasn’t always glaring, and we didn't have the time to put it all together, or deal with the gravity of it all.

I know I'm not the only one who doesn't want to go back to normal. I'm on team Michelle and Michele: I want to get better. 2021 is such an opportunity.

The Age Gap Experience, my blog about relationships on the "fringe", helps me embrace the thing that makes me an outsider, and use it as fuel to get better, someway, somehow. Being on the outside inspires me to write, and as I find my voice through this process, I often find a clear path for my own improvement.

I'm sure you are already getting emails with tips for a better new year. Will you skim them? Put off the thing you know you need to do? Or, will you pick something? One thing that will put you on the road to better.

I think all of our lives, in some way, depend on our decision to choose the latter. The interconnectivity of our collective, individual actions couldn't be more clear than they are now.

Cheers to getting better!