What is normal? Does normal make you happy?

Most people who evacuated for the most recent hurricanes will tell you that things are finally getting back to normal. But what exactly is normal anyway. I guess they are referring to returning to the same routines they had before the storms hit us. If so, that is ashame. If these storms taught us anything it is that life can be disrupted at a moments notice and friends and family are the most precious gifts we all have. We shouldn't have to wait for a storm to reminds of this. We need to return to a time when families visited each other on Sundays instead of being self absorbed by things of much less importance. Turn off the TV or the video player and make someone happy by visiting for a few hours with kin folk you haven't seen in forever.

Joy and guilt

I know I should feel guilty about having so much fun during an evacuation, but it was hard not to have fun when surrounded by family and friends on a beautiful lake in Arkansas while living on a luxury houseboat with an onboard jacuzzi, ample supply of great food and a more than an adequate store of alcohol. This was not a spontaneous evac, but a well planned family reunion/vacation that just happened to coinside with a major hurricane. What perfect timing.
I do hope those less fortunate than I are safe and well and all will return to normal quickly.
By the way, we have already booked next years evacuation for the same time, Labor Day.