by Guest blogger: Matshilele Nemakanga Sithole
Last week I was had a conversation with a close friend I made
through Facebook about a year and half ago. She was grumbling at how her life
sucks and she wishes she could have a perfect life like mine or another girl’s.
I had to humble myself and reveal some of the astonishing daily life
experiences that my Instagram, Facebook or Twitter account doesn’t tell the
world, but in a world dominated by social media I can understand how one could
easily be fooled into thinking everyone else in the world but them, is living a fairy-tale. My life is far from perfect. If anything, I, like my friend also tend to idolise other people’s lives that seem perfect on social networks.
Don’t get me wrong, I am happily married to one of the most
amazing guys in the world and I am a mother to three cute girls but
my life is not close to perfect (anyone who says theirs is probably lying), not all our Facebook statuses and pictures can document everything
that we experience as a family- from our daily struggles as a couple, our arguments, toddler meltdowns, troubles caring for three kids (all younger than 2) to our messy family dates,
devotions, travels, dinners, etc.
My husband and I often laugh at how
we both only pick the best moments of our days, months or years to share with
Facebook, that if only we could tell Facebook when one of us woke up grumpy (its
mostly me, thanks to him for putting up with me) or when things are just not
going well with the kids or our parents, then social networks would have some element of truth and reality.
You would be so surprised how average people’s lives are (including
mine) in reality. This is not meant to discourage those who post updates about
their real lives for the sole purpose of encouraging and being role models to others
but rather to encourage those who feel like everyone else is living in a fairy-tale but them.
Life is made up of both the good and the bad, but since the bad can often be embarrassing, most people’s posts are carefully curated to
depict a good appearance. One amazing thing about Social Networks is that they
afford people from all walks of life to flaunt their stuff and brag about how
much they love their lives, the best part: you can be one person online,
another in your walking life and it seems like everyone is very good at
inventing themselves.
Next time if you look at someone’s Instagram/Facebook pictures
and start feeling discontent and unhappy with your life, remember it’s mostly
all about who can tell their story better.
