This is a guest post by Karen Hill. She blogs about self improvement and tries to provide inspiration, from an imperfect perspective at Dreamin’ the Life. Follow her on Twitter @DreaminTheLife or subscribe for free updates to Dreamin’the Life via Email or RSS.

I had three other tables that still needed their orders taken. It was the typical busy Sunday breakfast rush with every table filled with hungry, sleepy-eyed people. “And how would you like your eggs cooked?” I repeated for the hundredth time that morning. My eyes darted around anxiously, wanting him to hurry, so that I could take the other orders.

“Normal,” he replied. I tried to keep my amusement hidden, and just stared at him for a second in disbelief. Out of the thousands of orders I’ve taken while working as a waitress, I’ve never had anyone order their eggs normal before. Over Easy. Up. Over Medium. Over Hard. Poached. Even, Easy Over, as some dyslexic customers think this is the correct way to say it. I just don’t tell them it secretly drives me crazy that they are saying it backwards. Because I still want my tip.

His reply to me made me instantly analyze the definition of normal. Apparently he, like most of the world, assumes that his perspective of life is normal. But your normal is very different from what I consider normal.

Is his definition of normal how his mother had always cooked his eggs, without asking how he wanted them cooked? After being without words for a moment, I gave him some suggestions, to help me narrow down his order just a bit. He shifted anxiously as all of the focus at the table laid on him for a few tense seconds. He really didn’t know how to articulate the way he liked his eggs cooked. The pressure of me and everyone looking at him wasn’t helping anything. And this was a grown man I was talking to.

I needed some sort of answer, because “normal” isn’t one of my eight options when I enter orders into the computer. I so wish it was. It would make my job easier. “How would you like your eggs cooked today sir, normal?”

After a few long moments, I suggested “Scrambled?”. The rest of his family members had already placed their orders this way. I quickly assumed that this must be his frame of reference for what’s normal. I was right. He agreed and I was able to move on to my next table.

I judge people based on how they order their eggs and steaks cooked. I’m not proud of it, because I try to live my life as judgment free as possible. But it’s the truth. The way someone orders their eggs or steak cooked is a reflection on what type of person they are. Or at least I think so. Well Done/Over Hard people are fearful of undercooked food, and getting sick from it. They are usually high maintenance or fearful of trying anything new. Scrambled or Medium Well people are just a step down, ordering it that way probably because that’s how their parents always ordered it.

So, how do I order my eggs? It changes depending on my mood, because I’m high maintenance like that. But usually basted. What is basted, you ask? It’s fucking complicated. And not normal. And that’s why I like it that way. Part of me likes embracing not being normal.

Everyone wants to be a unique, awesome, and remarkable individual, but we don’t want to go against the grain in doing so. It take balls to stand up for being different. And since I’m part of the 51% of the population that was born without the benefit of being genetically predisposed to having testes, I’ve had to make a continuous, conscious effort in living an authentic, daring life. But then again, a lot of men are born with balls and just chose not to use them.

Too many people live lives defined by fear. Myself included. They live lives defined by settling for being “normal”, or worse, striving to be more normal. They do what their parents have always done, believe what they are taught to believe by their schools, and churches. It takes courage to challenge what’s considered normal, but we need to remember that what each of us define as “normal” may not be “normal” for the next person.

That’s the beauty of life. We are all so different. So ask yourself what you consider normal. And then question it. If you come to the conclusion that you like your eggs scrambled, because that’s how your mom always cooked them, that’s okay. Just make sure you challenge what you consider normal. You never know if you would prefer your eggs basted, until you try it.

Credit: Photo by Pixel Addict

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