Are you normal?

We get so carried away with the humdrum of everyday life that we sometimes forget to sit back and reflect on what we do and don’t have. What is deemed as completely normal to some is entirely alien to us, and vice versa.

Who defines normal, though? What is normal? Isn’t it based on different opinions? What a child would see as normal differs to what an adult would. And what we consider unusual, someone with a lot more life experience or an entirely different way of living might class as normal?

What we do not realise, however, is that most of us tend to reflect purely on what we don’t have, as opposed to what we do.

For example, in today’s world, most of us rely on the internet for information, right? This falls under education, politics, researching facts, seeking knowledge and knowing what is happening around us daily, and so forth… Follow this link and make a difference by volunteering

We also tend to see things like mobile phones as an essential for safety purposes amongst recreational contact.

Our essentials during grocery shopping could be eggs, milk, bread, butter, sugar, teabags, chocolate, flour, rice, juice, fruit, etc.

Transport wise, a car, a bus pass, a taxi or a train? Anything of similar convenience.

A shower every day is almost expected. Complete with shampoo, soap, and toothpaste.

A well-paid job, an education or a degree.

Television. Not many households are without a television (or two) in this day and age.

So many other things besides are classed as “essentials” in our world; glasses for vision, heating, air conditioning, clean environments, even holidays…and clean water!

The majority of us feel we “deserve” these ‘basics’ of life. But now that we’ve established what the majority of us class as ‘normal’, let’s see what some of those who are far less fortunate see as normal…

Starvation? Check. Poverty? Check. Occasional dirty water? Check. Lack of medicine? Check.
Pain? Check. Poor health? Check. Losing loved one after loved one? Check.

No transport, no education, no medication, no warmth, no clean water, no groceries, no communication methods and no means to travel. Check.

The thought of the internet or new phones completely fades away after you read this example of people’s harsh reality, doesn’t it?

But this can all change, and that change begins with us. Let’s use the internet and the advanced technology we have to our advantage and change it all. Together, we can do so much for those who don’t see our way of living as normal.

Donate towards a good cause with www.islamichelp.org.uk today. Together, let’s make the abolition of poverty and starvation the new normality.