Regular People

“The Government comes for the regular people first”

Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable

This past year I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be “regular people”.  As a kid I grew up thinking I could be whatever I wanted to be.  As I got older I realized that wasn’t entirely true.  If I wanted to be a doctor I had to excel at science, if I wanted to be a professional singer I actually had to sound good when I sang, if I wanted to be a gymnast I had to be able to touch my toes when I bent over.  As I get older the window of opportunities is shutting, and shutting fast.

In this clip from the Pilot episode of the Cosby Show, Theo decides he’s going to be a regular person.  Cliff isn’t having it and tries to teach him a life lesson about budgeting money and what it is like to live on a regular person’s salary.  Cliff starts listing off bills that Theo will have and then takes all his monopoly money.  At the end Theo is left with nothing and Cliff says, “Regular people.”

With my 30^th birthday looming, I have started to think about what I want for myself and for the future.  For some reason 30 is my magic number.  I thought that by the time I turned 30 I would have my junk together and know what I was doing.  All I have wanted my whole life is to be good at one thing that mattered.  My family and friends seem to excel at something while I am exceptionally good at being normal, well that and relaxing.

Being a T.V. junkie, I have learned many of life’s lessons through that magical box in the living room.  Growing up I wanted to be a Cosby.  I wanted to have Cliff show me what life was about and teach me everything I needed to know.  Some of Cliff’s lessons are happy, fun and thought provoking but sadly some are disappointing. Thankfully almost all of them end in a laugh.   If anybody knows Bill Cosby send him to Minneapolis (he is the one movie star I would love to meet!)  

With every paycheck I experience what it is like to be a regular person and this April , the government came for me first (and took all my money).  I have accepted that I am not a movie star, a famous writer, an Olympic gold medalist and that I don't have any letters after my name.  I am Leah Isbell.........a regular person.