A New Normal

Andy Crooks writing as Andy C
2 min readApr 16, 2020
A New Normal

Many commentators on the pandemic have said, “we have a new normal.”

Let’s unpack this phrase.

Normal: A noun, meaning the usual, typical, or expected state or condition
New: An adjective, meaning discovered recently or for the first time; not existing before; already existing but seen, experienced or acquired recently or now for the first time.

New normals can develop quickly. With the news flow of the pandemic, we quickly adapted. We accustomed ourselves to lines at the grocery store with several feet of separation. The pizza shop, within hours, had a table on the sidewalk and was ready to serve take-a-way to its customers. All these things are new. And they quickly become the usual, typical, and expected practices. They became normal. And these practices and habits were new; they were recently adopted, had not existed before and were acquired for the first time. So they became the new normal.

Pandemics are not the only new normals. In AA rooms, we often hear, “when we sober up, we have a new normal.”

When I sobered up, I had to adopt “usual, typical and expected habits to adapt to the state and condition” of sobriety. I found myself going to meetings when I felt disturbed. I called my sponsor before making decisions. I began a habit of reading AA and spiritual books. These habits were new and they quickly became customary and usual. I had a new normal.

The phrase works for pandemics and sobriety.

There is a hidden lesson in the phrase “new normal.”

If this is a new normal, there was an old normal. And if there was an old and a new, there most certainly will be a future. Someday this new normal will be an old normal and replaced by another new normal.

In the case of the pandemic, someday we will be able to get a cup of coffee at the Second Cup. Eventually, we will enjoy a walk in the park. Someday we will have an office party. This current normal will be replaced over time with new normals.

In the case of my sober life, there have been new normals. My sobriety at year one was different from year five. Similarly, different again at years ten, twenty and forty. I changed with the practice of all the principles of the Program in all my affairs.

In all areas of my life, it is a great truth, “this too shall pass away.”

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Andy Crooks writing as Andy C

For Andy C, not drinking was the first spiritual awakening. He’s been blessed with subsequent spiritual awakenings as the results of the 12 steps.