I feel like facebook, twitter, instagram, Pinterest, etc. really enable us to live this life on the outside one way, when in reality it's another. So easily can I look on any one of these given social networks and get caught up in how perfect, or "together" friends/family's life looks. And in that, so easily start to compare their life to mine; feel like I'm failing; get worn down by not having "enough"..... Can anyone relate to any of this? No?... Well maybe it's just me. : /
Let me give some examples of perception vs. reality in my own life as of late....
Perception: Oh how cute! What a fun, family activity! Isn't he adorable!?
Perception: What a fun daddy to jump in the tub with all his clothes for bath time! SO ADORABLE!
Reality: Yes, completely adorable, and yes, Tony is the best daddy ever and this spontaneous jump in the bath move was awesome and hilarious! AND, we are also having an issue at bath time where Grayson cries and won't sit down b/c he suddenly hates the bath. This was daddy's attempt to help that.
Perception: For some reason many friends that come over have this perception that my home is always clean and neat and tidy. Friends, I clean up heavily before you come over!
Reality is that it almost always looks like this.... lived in. :)
Perception: Seriously, have you ever seen two boys so cute!! What a pretty little family photo opp!
Reality: Yes, we are able to catch some stinkin cute pics!! And I am the MOST blessed momma to have these two adorable boys! But, this "cute family photo opp" happened as we were annoyingly leaving a wedding reception because a certain toddler was past his nap time and didn't want to cooperate. ;)
I am not sharing these perception v. realities for you to have pity on me or sympathy or ANYTHING! Not at all! I'm sharing this because I feel burdened to share with you, my friends, some truths about reality vs. perception. It is too easy with social media to have perception of people/situations/etc. and feel discouraged. It is too easy to go to church and see people who you perceive "have it all together" when you feel like you are unraveling at the seams. It is too easy to be intimidated, or not feel "good enough" when WE PERCEIVE things in others.
Two things to note here:
1. WE perceive these things. We do it to ourselves! This is nobody (no body's facebook status or picture posted on instagram)'s fault, but our own. While we look at others, we cannot get in to the rut of comparing ourselves or thinking how other's may have it... we don't know what is happening behind the camera... So let's not assume...
2. YOU are GOOD ENOUGH. No matter any one's appearance/status/situation.... you are always good enough. Do not feel like you don't have it together, in comparison to another. Do not feel intimidated to talk to, pray with/for, do ministry, _____ (name it!)... just because you perceive perfection or whatever in others.
We need to get in the habit - especially mommy friends of encouraging one another! I'm not saying don't post cute pics and statuses (I'm not going to stop), but let's be real with one another! Let's not put on the show at church or bible study or play groups ... but lets just be real! My prayer of late has been the yearning to have real, raw, relationships with friends. Friends that I can be me with, that I can pray with and for because I know what really going on in their life. Friends that I can come to as the mess that I am and laugh and cry with.
I hope I can encourage you the next time you think of perception vs. reality of others; and encourage you to open up, take the filter off and be a little more "real". SO.... Next time you see me post a cute picture of Grayson... no that before that pic that I just posted... I probably have a dozen others of this...."Really mom, another pic"... LOL
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