Who’d have thought that an off the cuff comment on an Instagram post I made, would prompt so much thought and consume so much of my time for the past few hours; ‘I wish I had your life…’
Of course, that’s not really true, no one really wishes for anything other than the life they already have, do they? They wish for what they perceive. Social media has so much to answer for doesn’t it. With the ability for everyone to be proficient in photoshop skills, with a glut of photo manipulation apps available, it’s difficult to determine real from fake, fact from fiction. Perfectly manicured photos appear, cropped, filtered, blurred…teeth whitened, cellulite smoothed, spots magically zapped. ‘Perfect’ imagery isn’t just in the media anymore, it’s all around us, and it erodes our sense of ‘normal’
Those snapshots of happy smiling faces, loved up couples, perfect families, women and men celebrating their bodies, fat, thin, fit, curvy, wobbly, tattooed, coloured…all scream at us LOOK AT ME…’I’ have found utopia, ‘I’ have the life YOU want, ‘I’ have the life YOU aspire to. Really?
It is but that, a snapshot of a moment. A moment of contented bliss. Allow me a while to wallow in this moment, for it passes and becomes but a memory and the reality of real life slips back into being.
Pain. Real pain, physical pain, emotional pain, financial pain…
The Purple Diva 
Excellent reminder of the TRUTH.. we PERCEIVE that ” the other guy ( or lady ) lives a life of smiles..laughter. Contentment.. Endless joy while WE meander in the muck and mire of the” slough of despond ” the truth is.. Everyone has challenges and trials and tribulations. Yes. The photos remind us of a moment when we decided to stop Focusing On our challenges. AND wallow in a little joy and fun. Enjoyed this post !
By: claycallaway on July 20, 2017
at 9:13 pm
Thank you Clayton for not only your kind and thoughtful words, but for taking the time out of your day to comment. That truly means so much.
By: purplediva on July 20, 2017
at 9:43 pm