This is going to be an angry post.
Because I look at the world today, and I see people who struggle with their esteem and confidence, but no one cares about them. Today’s world, today’s society, is about perfection.
We’re not encouraged to be unique. As much as commercialism and the media want us to think that they’re daring us to be different, they’re not. We’re supposed to be different as long as everyone else is. If you’re different because YOU’RE different, you get labelled as a freakshow, a weirdo and all those other attractive names people like to throw at your face.
But to be different with everyone else is to be average. We can’t be average either, but then you’re not different, but if you’re different, you’re strange, but if you’re average, you’re boring. You see the dangerous cycle?
You can’t just follow the trends, you have to be on the cutting edge of the trend. You have to be one step in front of everyone else to be different. but just make sure everyone is following, ’cause it’s not worth being different if you have to do it by yourself.
The media and the world doesn’t encourage us to be unique or different or average or mediocre. The world is bent on making us IDEAL. We’re forced into the mold of idealism and even when we’re comfortable with who we are, the world continues to push us and squeeze us into its mold as we kick and scream against it.
“Really, Kay?” you’re thinking. Yes, really. I’ll give you an example that’s close to home for me. I might be what you’d call ideal. I’m six foot and 125 pounds. I get told countless times that I should be a model, that I look like a model, “have you tried modeling?” It’s the glamorous career, I’m sure, but I’ve never bought into it for whatever reason.
And can I be honest on something that might make you hate me and make you never want to read this blog again? Even I have days where I feel “fat”…..I use air quotes because it’s become a relative term.. Because girls who are NOT FAT call it fat. Even me. Some days my stomach sticks out too much, sometimes my calves jiggle a little more than I’d like, sometimes I wish I could see my abs or any of my muscles for that matter. Sometimes I WANT to put on weight so my spine does practically break through the back of my shirts when I bend over.
All this to say that we are HARDWIRED to think the same thing no matter what we look like:
YOU AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH.
“you will never be perfect.”
“there will always someone who looks better than you.”
“Good luck getting anyone to think you’re worth a second look.”
LIES. and I don’t mean that in a humorous way. They are LIES. Not, half-truths, or white lies…these are deadly, deceptive falsehoods from the pit of hell. But they are distorting and warping my generations and all the generations before it.
It’s a lie we’ve been fed from day one….but did you know that the lie used to look differently? Look at this:
You laugh at that now, but that’s what they used to believe. I read “Anne of Green Gables” when I was younger and Anne is OBSESSED with looking “plump” and idolizes her friend Diana because she’s fattened in the perfect way to show off her curves…..
Odd, isn’t it? That less than 100 years people HATED to be skinny….that “fat” was the old “slim.”
If that doesn’t scream what a lie we’re living right now, I don’t know what’s going to get your attention.
We were made in God’s image. We are beautiful because He made us beautiful. (guys too…) God made Adam and Eve and called it GOOD. We are GOOD, but we’re deformed by sin and our minds have suffered from it. We forget what God tells us and try to please everyone else. We’d rather have a handle of people look at us for an extra five minutes (after a heck of a lot of work), than let a perfect and holy God LOVE and TREASURE us for the wonderful and good creation that we are right now.
I’ll step off my soapbox when you step off the scale.
