Behind the Photograph
Aw. Isn’t that a cute picture? Our daughter snapped this shot during an annual family Christmas excursion. It even made the cut for a Facebook post about our day.
But there’s a little detail that does not show up in the picture.
My husband and I spent much of that day (and a couple days before it honestly) quietly at each other’s throats. We were in a bit of a funk. Agitated. Annoyed. Antagonistic. Why? Because the thing about marriage—and well, about life—is that it isn’t always perfect or pretty.
We all have our moments. Yet those particular moments typically are not the ones we present to others.
My intention, when I included that picture in my Facebook post, was certainly not deception. It was just a good picture mixed in with sweet photos of the kids. But my inside scoop—my knowledge of what was behind the photograph—brought me face to face with the ultimate pitfall of comparison.
We often compare the full detail, sometimes frightening, unedited version of our life to the sunshiny highlights reel of someone else’s life.
Few of us take out the camera to document and share the ugly parts of our week. It simply isn’t the norm. So, as a result, social media runneth over with ear to ear smiles and #bestdayever. But what is often missing is the rest of the story. The real life balance that keeps us all growing and moving forward.
The greatest solution for dealing with this comparison trap is found in Galatians 6:4 (TLB): “Let everyone be sure to do his very best, for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work done well and won’t need to compare himself with someone else.”
Eureka!
Satisfaction is always within our grasp! It comes from doing our best. Being our best. Fulfilling our purpose with the gifts God has given to us. Satisfaction has nothing to do with what everyone else is up to. In fact, if we stare too long we just might miss out on our very own joyful moments.
Whenever we feel our contentment being swallowed up by comparison, we need only to remind ourselves that there is real life behind every perfect photo. Then look away. Look up. And give thanks.
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt
January 3, 2018 at 8:43 am
Thank you, it’s a perfect reminder.
January 10, 2018 at 9:17 pm
Thanks Denise. Happy to hear that this resonated with you.
January 3, 2018 at 8:51 am
You hit the nail on the head again. Back in June, I pulled myself off of social media because too many times I came away feeling bitter and resentful that my life didn’t measure up in comparison to what everyone else was posting. The last 7 months have been freeing. Since leaving social media behind I feel that I’m living my life for me, not for others’ approval or how this or that will be portrayed. An added bonus is that I no longer get sucked down the FB/Instagram vortex where you can lose hours of your life in what feels like minutes. Honestly, the only downfall is that I can no longer get my daily dose of cute animal and baby videos : )
January 10, 2018 at 9:16 pm
This is great Beth. I did the same a few years back. And while I did miss keeping up with friends and family, there was definitely a sense of relief and liberation. It’s hard to strike the right balance. Glad you have found joy in taking a step back, although it wasn’t quite the same without your funny elf on the shelf posts this Christmas:)