Tis the Season

I was reminded of a very important truth just before Thanksgiving. Comparison is the death of all that is good. We have this bad habit in the Western world of measuring ourselves by what others have/do/aspire to and it makes us miserable. Whether it's money, success, a job, a significant other, or a jean size - we are born and raised to covet it.

I often find myself longing for the small body type of other moms I see in grocery stores or for the money/laundry facilities to do cloth diapers. I am jealous of the showered, well-dressed parents I see everywhere when it took all our faculties for Mark and I to crawl out of bed. I want the beautifully woven stories of an international missionary and I desire the finances to travel and help wherever we are needed as a family.

And then there is the other side of it. Smuggly securing superiority in my mind when I see a baby that isn't as adorable as our sweet Rory (which is vastly untrue and completely ridiculous) or judging anyone who looks like they spend too much money on what I deem unecessary objects. Because I am obviously the foremost expert on how everyone should live their lives.

The truth is: we are each one strand of a most spectacular tapestry. We are each lovely in our own respect and together create a lovely design that would be incomplete without all of the threads. Comparing one strand to another is meaningless, all are needed for their own reasons. It's beautiful in a simple sort of way. I am needed and yet so small in the whole of things. It's funny, the importance of knowing your worth without being prideful. Balance is everything I suppose.

It isn't that we should never take cues from others or not look up to anyone, but we should also recognize that we are not anyone but ourselves and shouldn't waste time attempting to be. How much time and energy would we - would I save? I keep looking around at my life, trying to imagine how it would be better if I had the things someone else has. But I can't see it. Probably because nothing core value wise would change. We had more money when Marko was working, but we didn't have more joy/peace/love. I was smaller before I was pregnant, but I wan't happier/satisfied/contented. I could go on...

I love the study that was done concerning the levels of happiness within a country. Sweden was number one on the list, not because they had more wealth/beauty/time, but because they didn't expect as much from life. Not in a bad way - they just didn't feel like they needed the latest iPhone/flat screen/fad diet. Their expectations did not rely on comparison and they were immensely happier than the rest of the countries involved in the study. Including the US of A.

Rather than allowing joy to die at it's hands, we must kill comparison within our own minds. There are countless verses I could quote at you, but I'll let you read your Bible on your own time and simply say: When you're happy with what you have, you will receive so much more. As we enter into this season of materialism, I would beg you to consider this truth. Rather than wishing on paychecks for what other's have, take pleasure in what you already have! Recognize that there are so many with so much less that are so much happier.

This Christmas, why not consider trying something new? Like this or this or this or this or this. In case you didn't know, today is World AIDS Day. As someone who has lost loved ones to this preventable disease, I urge you to consider doing something today. Whether it is just spreading the word, donating to the cause, going on a trip to educate those exposed - it is all important. Especially to me.

Happy Advent, darling readers, I am praying for you and I love you dearly!