Take a look at your life. What do you see? 

I try to keep my social media positive and inspirational all while being authentic and real. OF COURSE like everyone I have bad days and situations and I definitely SEE them, acknowledge them and accept them but they never destroy me and I don’t see a need for complaint. So often all I see on social media is complaining.

”The house isn’t perfect”  But does it hold a loving family and friends? Do you gather around a table for incredible meals and talk and laugh and make memories?

”The government isn’t perfect”  When has it ever been? George Washington owned slaves and made mistakes on the battlefield due to his lack of experience as a general. Those mistakes cost him the lives of many soldiers. They almost cost him the independence of America. Or Hoover’s belief that raising taxes would somehow fix the “Great Depression”

”The new car isn’t perfect” Neither was my 1989 Honda Civic that I bought in 2002, but that car represented my freedom from domestic violence and is still my most favored car. 

”My marriage isn’t perfect” How can you ever have the expectation of living with someone other than yourself and have it completely copacetic? How completely boring.

“My kids aren’t perfect” Thank goodness kids aren’t clones and they all have individuality and their own identity. 

”My body isn’t perfect” 🙄🙄 It is strong and healthy and capable? 

The list goes on. Oftentimes things aren’t as we planned and that’s part of life and growth.

 We ARE NOT OUR CIRCUMSTANCES. 

To live in a constant state of compliant really shows a lack of happiness and gratitude all around.

 Ya know what’s perfect? Nothing. 

So it’s either a situation where you honestly can’t be happy no matter what the outcome and you’re completely unable to please OR maybe you feel so out of control that you need to control everything to create perfectionism OR maybe you just love the drama. Maybe you’ve never been in a situation where you’ve dedicated time in your life to something other than yourself. 

I can’t be certain, but it’s heartbreaking, honestly. 

We live in a society bent on being perfect, which has created nothing but stress and drama. 

Stop and take a look at your life. 

There is a laundry list of things I could be adding to this but I’m trying to keep this short and sweet. More than likely my passion will run more wild on this than the crazy curls that grow unruly out of my head.. but I digress. 

As Greg and I travel the world and meet people the one thing we notice is the perfectness in imperfection. We travel to places where people are (to American standards) struggling, without complaint. I fact it’s more often the people who have less-than are the ones more likely to invite us for dinner. It’s the people who worry about their water sources being polluted, knowing it could be worse, invite us for tea. They smile, they tell stories and they don’t complain. They know things aren’t perfect but have decided to rise up and see the greatness, not to strive for perfection but to see things through another lens. 

Over the years Greg and I have had more times of looking at one another and thinking Whiskey Tango Foxtrot than you can imagine. We raised kids. HaHa, that right there should reveal our skill-set.  We’ve built houses for ourselves and for others in foreign countries. We’ve had no money and an abundance. We endured sickness and long-distance-moves. We’ve served on missions, we’ve lost friends, we’ve had delays and bad flights, we’ve had plans change that weren’t in our control to begin with, BUT we’ve always ALWAYS been grateful. In the 5 seconds after a tragedy, we may look blinded, but within another 5 we think… 

“Wait, look at our life!” 

This year I have had an abundance of friends suffer. Through decades of marriage that came to an abrupt end. Through the diagnosis of cancer that has decided to take a young, healthy body and ravage it. Through losing a home to a natural disaster. Loss of a spouse and children. Unexpected moves from an area they love. Loss of jobs. 

Stop and take a look at your life. 

I can’t help but think 100% of us have something better to do than complain.  EVER! 

Please stop. Please stop making mountains out of nothing. Please stop feeding drama on social media.  Please stop being petty. Please do something for someone other than yourself. Please look around you to those who are REALLY hurting. Please get out of bed and stop complaining about your health and DO something to move towards change. Please see someone and/or admit that maybe you’re depressed and seek help. Please stop posting things that make people roll their eyes. (Ok maybe it’s just me) 

Please be delicate with one another. Please forgive someone. Please spread kindness. Please give to someone in need.  Please agree to disagree (HONESTLY) Please extend grace. Please be humble. Please love without condition. Please…. just be a kind human.