All people, all situations, all images, all that we see and experience has an ugly side. What do I mean? I mean if we could look past the glitz and glamour that we are presented with each day on social media, for example, we would see the messy homes, screaming children, feuding couples, and smelly disasters left behind by our children. I know you have heard this before but have you really internalized it to the point of understanding that life is not perfect? So, stop beating yourself up over it!
I recently came back from a week long vacation on the east coast of Canada. Sites that will remain in my memory for a lifetime. Places that stirred emotions I haven’t felt in decades. I took plenty of beautiful pictures. What you don’t see in those images are my children bickering in the backseat and every time I forced them to take a picture together. My husband frustrated with the navigational system because it kept losing signal, or me yelling at my son to run instead of stroll across the road to avoid a near miss by a car flying around the bend. The “I’m hungry” and “I’m tired” complaints throughout the day. The long wait times at airport security, and the battle with the most unpredictable weather pattern I’ve ever experienced (winter clothes, rain jackets, and summer wear—all in the span of 30 minutes!).
Sure, I love to travel (no sarcasm implied, ok maybe a glare). Vacation photos and life experience are all worth the trek, but don’t ever think that ugly is too far away. A coin will forever have two sides. So, like all good things there is always a not-so-fun thing about it. Remember that next time you see those cute baby or puppy pictures (I’m such a sucker for them too!). Those babies were crying just moments before and will do so again moments after. That puppy will make a colossal mess on the carpet that might prompt an argument to ensue.
I guess what I’m saying is keep it real in your mind. Of course I don’t expect others to share their giant dirty pile of laundry that’s been sitting for a week while they take another perfect selfie (guilty!). Just recognize that it’s complicated and not as simple and sweet as it all may appear. It’s complicated for you just as it’s complicated for others. We don’t share our ugly cry in bed eating chips for dinner for the third night in a row. We share the fresh face. The happy face. The pretty face. The lovely side. It’s ok. We all do it. Please don’t forget—just because you don’t see the ‘ugly’ it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
Below are some of my favourite pictures of the ‘pretty side’ of my trip.
Thoughts At F___ It Forties 