Real life living

When I was a kid, we used to joke that my mom’s workouts were just sitting, watching exercise videos. She didn’t actually do any exercise at all, but just watched the videos. There is something in us that can believe that if we think about something, we’re actually doing it. Or we may even go a step further and buy a new pair of running shoes so we think we’re becoming healthier, but if those shoes are just collecting dust in the closet you haven’t actually done anything. I was noticing recently as I was mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, that I can start to believe I am actually living a life of love and justice simply by following other accounts of people who are living lives of love and justice. Then I realized that perhaps some of those people aren’t actually even living lives of love and justice, but only talking and writing about living a life of love and justice. I have to admit, I was extremely troubled in my soul. As I pondered, trying to reconcile all these things in my brain, I considered that perhaps I should get off social media altogether, and learn to focus my energy on actually living the life I want to live. Then it occurred to me (true story), if I go off social media, how is anyone going to know if I’m living a life of love and justice? That convicting reality pounded me in the face like Mike Tyson. I was more concerned with appearing to live the life, than actually living it at all. Ouch!

Perhaps you can relate in some way, or maybe you’re just a way better human than me, which is entirely probable. Regardless, there is a deep longing inside of us that desires to be loved and accepted, so we put on our best self, post our best selfie, and portray the image we think people will accept and appreciate. There is however something even deeper, and more real in us than our self-centered insecurities. There is a unique beauty inside each on us, as we were made in the image of our creator. Each of us has an immeasurable value and is worthy of love, kindness, and respect simply because we are creations of the divine. There is freedom in this truth as we discover we don’t have to try to be something, but we get to just be. Live in the present moment. Embrace who you are and know that you are enough. Love the ones around you. And don’t waste your life trying to earn the love of anyone. Be yourself; the beautiful, confident, imperfect but wonderfully made human that you are. That is the person that the world really needs to be present and living fully alive.