Misleading Messages

Social media and even blogging can be very misleading. We typically post the best of the best. We paint our lives through the lens we want the world to see. We often are very superficial because as we expose ourselves through various posts we’re placing ourselves in a position of vulnerability and even criticism. That is why we often show only the best of who we are, not even the near best and certainly not the worst.

Don’t get me wrong, I include myself in this camp. I too want the world to see me in a particular light. I choose the subject very carefully as well as the content I am displaying.

As I try to catch up on everyone’s life, (we’re still without internet) I find myself in a bit of a slump. I look at pictures of beautiful homes decorated in autumn beauty. You view the landscapes and places you could only dream of experiencing. Then there’s people getting together doing fun things. It all seems so perfect. It’s so easy to feel insecure. You begin to wonder if you’re doing enough or progressing as far in life. We constantly compare ourselves to others and social media has made that so much more apparent.

As I drive around my town, I am reminded of the devastating hurricane that just bombarded our community. As soon as you open the shades in the morning and pull out your driveway you are witness to destruction. There are piles and piles of rubble all around you. Today my husband and I partnered with Samaritan’s Purse through our local church and saw a different type of destruction. This one is much more devastating. It pales in comparison to the rubble on my street. We went to literally strip down a house that was flooded with 8 feet of nasty, contaminated creek water. This was just one of many homes in this particular neighborhood. The flood line was up to the door headers of the first floor. It smelled. It was gross and it really was nasty. But you have to remind yourself, as you feel disgusting, this was someone’s home. All their life’s possessions were destroyed. And then you take it one step further and realize this is just one house of many from this one storm and things like this happen all the time throughout our world. It’s overwhelmingly sad.

So how do we work through this? How do we reconcile ones beautiful posts on social media with sadness all around us? In church today, our pastor said we need to rejoice with those who made it through the storm and help those that suffered loss and are struggling. Bingo. That is where the balance needs to happen. I think it is okay to share your life, your experiences, your joys and those beautiful moments. But don’t let that be it. Balance your life with helping others when you can and approach each day with a spirit of gratitude.

There will always be those looking at your life through their own lens which includes perception based on their life’s experiences. They may only see the one part of the world you expose. But we must take into account we all have struggles, concerns, bad days and even illness and disease. We may not want to show this part of our lives but that should be okay. Even the life that looks so amazing on social media has its moments. We need to learn to be happy for peoples success and triumphs and be ready to lend a hand when someone is less fortunate.

Perhaps what we share with the world will bring some joy and inspiration to those who see our photos, read our words, see your world according to you, and it really is okay because they are just moments in time, the moments you want to share.

So, I will continue to “like” all those beautiful pictures you post. I will be happy for you in all your glory but I also ask if you’re the one that is in the throws of something difficult and you need help please reach out to someone that you can confide in because I do believe that most of us, as I have witnessed first hand over and over again this past week, want to help. I truly believe we are wired for kindness and I’m sure you are not alone in your struggle. Sometimes we may need to be nudged or reminded to help someone but at the same time it really is okay to ask for help. So please, speak up and ask. Sometimes we just don’t know but it’s quite likely we really want to help out someone in need and it might even be you.