Having lived through my father’s catastrophic illness, and spending lots of time in the hospital and meeting so many other people who were going through similar, or worse things, I can tell you there is no return to “normal.”

Your new normal is different, but better.

You love harder. You appreciate your loved ones more. You take nothing for granted. Your hearts are bigger and your eyes are better at seeing the struggles that other people are carrying.

You have perspective. It’s hard to get worked up about 99% of the things you got worked up over in your old normal after an experience like the one you’ve all been through.

So Carpe Diem out of that ‘new normal.” You earned it.