First let me say, I am addicted to Facebook. Connecting with friends and family and being involved in their daily lives is priceless. I love seeing pictures of everyone and their children and reading posts about their happy lives. It fills me with joy.
Ok, that said, Facebook can be damn depressing, too! The Today show featured a segment today warning parents about “Facebook Depression” in teenagers. Even though I am a few years past being a teenager (just a few!), I can totally relate. Staying at home with two young children can be exhausting, isolating and very unglamorous. Then I get on Facebook and read about my friends’ exciting, perfect, sunshiny lives; family trips to Hawaii, adorable children who make straight As and keep their rooms clean, perfectly thought out gifts from husbands for no reason at all, unselfish mission trips to Zimbabwe, organic veggie gardens and beautifully decorated homes. Seriously? I can’t help but compare my boring, imperfect life with those of my talented, gorgeous, generous friends. It’s just so depressing.
So what do I do? I edit my life, posting only that which will make me look good, as a mother, wife, friend, daughter, etc. But the truth is, my house is messy, my kids eat junk and watch a lot of TV, the weeds are out of control, I’m super lazy and spend too much time on Facebook. But I don’t want anyone to know that.
Sooo… if I’m covering up the ugly parts of my life, then maybe my friends are, too. That would mean I’m not the only one out there with outdated clothes, ten extra pounds, dusty shelves and smudgy windows. Whew, that’s a relief.
God made each one of us differently and fills all of our lives with unique talents, relationships and experiences. I plan on thanking Him every day for my blessings and not focusing on what I don’t have or what is imperfect in my life. In the meantime, friends, keep those happy posts coming. I’ll continue to celebrate your successes without the green-eyed monster coming out.
