A Thousand Words

     A single image can evoke tremendous feeling from a person.  In today's world of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, photos are shared instantly and constantly. The power of image waivers between completely inconsequential and totally reactionary.  I would argue; however, that it is not often the image but the viewer responsible for the reaction or non-reaction. Often what we see on our friend's Facebook pages can leave us feeling unimportant or perhaps how our life is so boring compared to others.  What we need to recognize is that these insta-photos are but a mere second in a persons life.  One photo cannot properly depict the truth in a persons life, yet more and more we judge the happiness of people based on their shared photos.

     I do not deny the genuine joy and beauty displayed in these images.  Quite often I am taken by a moment of absolute bliss and I impulsively reach for a camera or phone so that I can capture the moment, although I am almost always disappointed with the result.  Rarely can a recorded image truly capture the feeling I was experiencing at the moment it was taken.   Nevertheless, I take the photo anyway and share it with the world.

     I am not alone.  Everyday I open my Facebook page to pictures of beautiful, happy children, delicious meals, joyous couples in a loving embrace, and so on.  I could wallow in envy at the amazing lives being enjoyed by all those around me but I know the truth behind the photo.  I know that for every gorgeous meal there are three  KD/hotdog equivalent meals.  I also know that for every picture of smiling children there are hours of crying, screaming, and poop.  There is always lots of poop when kids are involved.  And for every loving moment between couples there are arguments so heated that one or two people end it with tears.  That, or they live together for days in uncomfortable silence. 

      I in no way mean to discredit the magical moments people choose to share with the world.  I do not doubt their authenticity.  I simply take solace in the fact that they are fragments of ones entire day.  Beautiful, genuine, blissful fragments....but still fragments.  The rest of our days are often filled with mundane, unglamorous, and necessary tasks. 

    I will keep sharing my happy moments with the world.  I probably won't share too many of the dull ones but I just might share a few to "keep it real".  I look forward to witnessing more wonderful moments of my friends out there in cyber world so please don't stop sharing.  Let us all remember the thousand other words behind the happy photos to avoid feeling bad about our imperfect lives.  I will continue to appreciate the fantastic things going on in my world and feel happy for others who are also enjoying joyous lives, but I won't forget that the pictures posted are merely a glimpse.

Typical Wednesday- not particularly enjoying vacuuming the house.

Eating leftover, cold pizza over the sink between chores.