A "Normal" Member of Society

Lucy Grealy endured a life of pain, both physical and mental. Society's views of perfection led her to believe she was unworthy. Hiding her face every day, she refused to look at herself in the mirror, in fear that she wouldn't recognize the person she saw. The constant snickers from people, especially men, haunted her dreams. Why did she go through such torture? Why does society cast a spell of perfection amongst all that live? I for one understand the humility and suffering that different, not so perfect people endure. My brother, Nicholas, was born with a learning disability. Although different in a sense from Grealy, where his imperfection lies in his intelligience rather than his exterior, my brother and Grealy both deal with being outcasted. My brother has for years lived with the shame of not being able to do simple mathematical equations, read aloud, play a sport with his peers in fear that he wouldn't be able to comprehend the simple rules. In school, he is frowned upon by classmates who taunt him on a regular basis. His speech, being so poorly understood, makes people turn their heads and question his "problem." The way others judge those who cannot help but be "abnormal" is cruel and unjust. I hope that some day we will put aside our imperfections, the imperfections that we all have, and accept the things that we cannot change. I often find myself asking, "What is normal anyway?"