Comparison

One of my favorite quotes is about comparison.

It is from C.S. Lewis...

Comparison is the thief of joy.

I really needed that quote yesterday...but I didn't think of it until today.


Social media sources (Facebook, blogs etc.) are often really great for moms like me who take care of kids full-time.  Friends can "keep up," advertise activities, share valuable parenting information and advice, or simply encourage one another through the challenges of the "terrible 2s," and the even more terrible 3s.  There are days where it feels like Facebook is my only contact with the outside world (I'm not a big fan of those days).

One problem with social media is that it can be a breeding ground for comparison.

Yesterday was kind of a lousy day for me.  I woke up feeling sick and didn't recover until about noon (no, I am NOT pregnant!).  My girls did not decide to give mom a break by taking care of themselves (go figure), and the phrase "if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" could have been our Monday motto.  By 6pm the house looked as if we had been robbed, and I fed the children chicken nuggets for lunch and dinner, the dinner nuggets coming from Wendy's.  I was "off" all day.  The highlight of our day was swim lessons where Abby clawed at me like a monkey for 30 minutes in the cramped and sweaty parent section as I tried desperately to watch Sam take her 30 second turns.

Contrast my day with the images I saw on Facebook and blogs of my friends enjoying a spectacular San Diego day at various parks, pools, and beaches with their jubilant children.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

I felt extra bummed out about my day because I compared.  Look how much fun everyone else is having! Look how happy they are! And just like that, comparison robbed me.

Comparison robbed me of joy that I could have felt even on a crummy day.  Like joy that I have two healthy darling girls.  Or joy that my kids are my full-time job. Joy in watching Sam splash around that pool.  Joy that even on a "sick day" I got to hang out with these delightful little people in a backyard filled with flowers.  The list could go on and on.  

COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY!

Oh yeah, and "wherever you are, be all there."  That quote is a good companion to "comparison is the thief of joy."  Isn't that the theme of someone's blog?  

 Shame on me.


Another good quote about comparison... 

Don't compare your inside to someone else's outside.