What my Instagram Posts did not reveal

A few weeks ago, I posted on Facebook and Instagram a two-year-old picture of me and my husband in his truck on a road trip. The post received many likes and comments.

Later that week, I posted pictures of me on my social media pages modeling my new Cincinnati Bengals hat and shirts. It also received likes, comments, and inquiries.

Many comments were a version of, “You look like you are enjoying life in South Carolina!”

It was true. I am enjoying this chapter of my life in Charleston. In each post, I wore a big smile. But there were days that I wasn’t smiling so much.

One day that week, I was awakened by an anxiety attack at 2:00 am. I began to think of all I wanted to accomplish that day. The interrupted sleep made me anxious for the rest of the day. I decided not to post about the stress that day.

The next day I felt like I was making multiple decisions within minutes and faster than I could think. Travel arrangements needed to be made, article deadlines were closing in, blog posts needed to be scheduled, and banking needed to be done. I was mentally tired but pushed through near tears and got it done. My frustration did not make Instagram that day.

Later that week I did not post my face wet with tears as I listened to a two-year-old voicemail from my deceased mother. I missed her I had a longing for her I could not shake. Nope, that didn’t make it to social media.

Recent thoughts of mortality, feelings of grief, and sometimes loneliness have moved me to anger, sadness, and sometimes tears. But instead of posting that, I posted fond memories of fun times with family and friends in Ohio.

Sometimes I post pleasant memories when my days are hard. Has that happened to you? Maybe not. Remembering the good times helps push back my low moments and keeps me in a place of gratitude.

As we scroll through our friend’s social media posts, let us not judge too quickly. Everyone has good times and bad times. We may not see the totality of their lives; the good and not so good. So let’s be gracious with each other and ourselves before we decide someone’s grass is greener than the grass in our lawns.