Dear Reader Column 10-31-19

Dear Reader,

My feelings cycle. I realize I've been here before, so apparently I haven't learned the lesson yet. Here I go again... What would happen if I decided to be happy with who I was and where I am in life, this very minute? Perhaps if I just concentrated on being the best that I can be right now, in whatever place or situation I find myself, that in the end, I'd get to where I wanted to be all along...happy.

Every once in a while, especially if I'm tired or feeling kicked around by the world, I have a bad habit of comparing myself to other people. And you know what? I can't think of one single time that it's done me any good. I think those evil little "how-do-I-measure-up" thoughts tend to hit me when I'm tired, or I've just received some unpleasant news.

Those comparisons are little dirty secrets in my mind. I don't speak of them out loud--after all, what would people think? If I confessed that sometimes I feel like a loser, compared to so-and-so, that wouldn't be a flattering impression for me to leave with someone. Or if I openly admitted that now and then, I find joy in shamelessly trying to convince myself that I'm further along in life than someone else--well, it's almost too embarrassing to admit here today. It's a cheap thrill, a waste of my time and it belittles me in the process.

But then again, since I'm human, I guess it's a given that I'm going to wrestle with thoughts like these. So maybe I should ease up a little. Because the true test of my character, is what I do with them.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]

Comments

[noelle sweeney]

Hi Suzanne: Oh I do love this post, it really hits home. Yes I do know in my head that comparing is never a good thing, but why do we do it? I don't know it never brings us to a good place. Thanks for posting these thoughts since sometimes you just hit the nail on the head and I feel like I'm not the only one that feels like that. and yes we are human and at least we realize that we are doing it. thanks Noelle