Two-Sided Life

Lesson: Acknowledging the Good

We tend to give people this one-sided view of our lives. This image of beautiful satisfaction or immeasurable disdain. Sometimes true, sometimes false, but always an unequal depiction of truth. I’ve noticed myself at times wishing my life was more like someone else’s. Someone who only chooses to capture the highs of their life–the beautiful satisfaction. But I also see that I’ve succumbed to the same trap.

I tend to only capture the lows–the immeasurable disdain, hoping that someone who lives a similar life might find hope in Jesus, understanding that his perfect plan of beautiful satisfaction includes these countless moments of pain and struggle. I don’t think I’ve communicated that well, partly because I’m terrible at capturing the great moments of my life. I might not have enough to fill my Instagram with enviable experiences, but I have more than some others.

Taking Note of Goodness

My go-to shows that there is purpose in our hardships, and there is perfection working through our flaws. I struggle to communicate and take note of the moments that I can’t help but be extremely grateful for. It may not involve wealth or traveling or life-giving poolside experiences or admirable romance or cool purchases or anything of the sort. But my moments of sheer gratitude involve time spent with great people, which, though brief, allows me to delay the pressure and hold fast to my faith and my sanity.

The Problem With Beautiful Satisfaction

When it all boils down, wealth is fleeting, vacations end, cold weather makes a pool less appealing, godly romance requires toil and upkeep, and cool things lose value. But people, according to this strange gospel I believe, are worth dying for.

Achieving the Two-Sided Life

I’ve had the privilege of picking and enjoying every job I’ve had, paid or unpaid, and it was always the people that made it worthwhile. I don’t have many grand experiences that make people wish to swap lives with me, but I’m grateful for every person who has been a part of my life. I’m also grateful to be in college at the only university I’ve ever considered attending. I’m grateful for my car no matter how much trouble it’s given me. I’m grateful for a church that I can plug in to and also be edified by. And I’m grateful for the gift of introspection that has allowed me to be honest and apply the various things God teaches me, knowing that I will never be perfect enough to not need to change. Life is hard, but I’m grateful, and hopefully I learn to capture those moments a little better in the coming months.