“I’ve fallen victim to the highlights reel. Especially when my first child was young. I would look at other people’s photos like their lives were better. Their parenting must be better, because every photo they’re smiling. Their relationships must be amazing, because their partners are kissing them while they hold up letterboard signs with quotes of love and my husband would rather put his balls in a blender. They must have better jobs, better houses, better lives because everything looks perfect. They also all must be alcoholics, because everyone is always drinking all the time. Seriously, how are you not dead? One drink for me. Anyway…
Then one day I got a comment saying how awesome my life must be. That I’m an amazing mother and I’m lucky to have such a great husband. My heart sunk.
I’m not gonna dispute it. I do have amazing things. I’m grateful. But don’t fall victim to the highlights reel. Real life is different.
Some days we won’t leave the house, TV is on and that’s the best it’ll get.
Some days I barely speak to my partner.
Some days I hate my life and want to run away.
I’m constantly cleaning and it’s never tidy. I have applied for a ton of jobs and heard nothing back and I’ve googled marriage counsellors more than I’d like to admit.
Photos are meant to tell a story, but they really don’t. They tell the story we want to show.
There’s nothing wrong with that. But we all struggle.
So, this is why I’ll share photos like this, because this is real life.
It is a struggle.
But that’s what makes it highlights worthy. Because every photo that shows a struggle, also shows someone who is or has experienced growth. They build us into the amazing mother we are, they strengthen relationships and give us resilience to keep going.
I encourage you all to post a photo you wouldn’t consider highlight worthy, because I guarantee that you have, or you will look back at that moment and see growth and that you can accomplish anything.
The art of photography is producing negatives to develop into a picture and it’s the same with real life.
Also, no one sits next to a letterboard with wine all the time. They’d be too drunk to operate social media. For real.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Laura Mazza of Mum on the Run, where it originally appeared. Follow Laura on Instagram here. Submit your story here, and subscribe to our best love stories here.
Read more encouraging words from Laura:
‘She’s not broken’: To the man whose wife or partner has anxiety
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