I Want to be Normal...

Well, I guess that depends on how we define "normal".  Maybe I do, and maybe I don't.  Here's my point...

Ready for some honesty?

Because the GPS coordinates of our home are different then almost everyone we know, because what we do for "work" looks so very different than the vast majority of people we know, because we seem to be 24/7 fundraising (sadly everything passes through that filter), because we live in a TOTALLY different culture, because we are tan in the winter (we go to the beach in January and we don't own winter clothes), because we are learning to speak a different language (and often forget our English words), because almost everyone we know lives on the information superhighway and we live on the information dirt road, because we drive around motorcycles and four-wheelers instead of mini-vans and sedans, because we eat monkey brains and cockroaches (not really, but we do eat different foods), because our children are growing up dressing and thinking and acting different, because 4 wheelin' through mud bogs and mountain top passes is normal for us, because... I think you see the point.

Yes, the fact is that our life probably looks different then your's.  But here is the rub for me....

When I walk into a room, I don't always want to be the center of attention.  Sure, it's nice to be honored, and I know people are simply curious, but we are ALWAYS the center of attention.  The only time we can escape it is when we are alone.  We are constantly treated like heroes doing extraordinary things.  I understand that maybe we are doing extraordinary things, but we aren't any different than almost everyone we know.  We have the same struggles.  Our kids go through the same behavioral stages.  Sometimes it seems we are more sinful than almost everyone we know and yet we are treated like we are "holier than thou".  Our marriage isn't perfect.  Our kids aren't perfect.  We aren't perfect.  I don't want to be the guy single hand-idly reversing the course of extreme poverty (obviously not true).  I don't want to exclusively talk about me. I don't want to be the guy who is living the life of adventure that everyone craves but isn't able to realize.  I don't want to always be the center of attention when I walk into a room.

Sometimes, I just want to be normal... like everyone else.  Maybe even anonymous.  I want to fit in and relax in the company of my peers.  I want to hear how everyone else is doing.  I want to hear about your life.  I want to hear about your job, and your kids, and your activities, and your relationships, and your marriages, and your extraordinary life.

I guess I want to live an extraordinary life, with extraordinary purpose, accomplishing extraordinary things, but treated as ordinary.  Is this possible?

Rob