The Glass Castle or How Not Normal Is Your Family

For the June Book Club the book was The Glass Castle by J. Walls. It is an extraordinary book that there are countless reviews on throughout the web. I often hesitate to read the books chosen for the Book Club because they tend to be heartbreakers. Difficult works with rotten endings. This book was one I was quite hesitant to read, but Jean Jean the Library Queen said it was sad, but would be fine. Ha! I cried for the last hour of reading until I closed the book on the final chapter.

That is not what is so puzzling to me... while on the phone with My Sparkly Girl who is at camp she said that she got her package that I had sent. Great, I said. She said the mail lady gave her a funny look when she handed it over and stated that it was sent in a cereal box. Yes, my daughter said. She could see that it was a cereal box because I didn't cover the box. I just made labels for it, taped it up, and sent it. My Sparkly Girl thought it was a perfectly fine way to send the package, but the mail lady seemed dubious.

So, that got us to thinking about normal. What is normal? Obviously sending a package in a cereal box is not normal in Conway, Arkansas, but why is that normal to us. Have I ruined my daughter with my odd habits and customs just like the mother from Glass Castle. God, I hope not.