Looking beyond the Images!

 

 Paint Party Friday

Show Your Face Friday

Balzer Designs

Online we can post what ever we want to sway opinion, present glamorous images, wonderful artwork, spin a story, display only the positive. We can make life seem only glorious and wonderful. As some people view the beauty shared they feel envious  of everything from looks to opportunities. 

Acrylic Wip Journal pages!

It's behind the scenes we don't see. The mother constantly traveling for business, responsible for keeping people employed, juggling her family while children and husband beg for time. Or the mother who buried two disabled children, but seems so gleeful playing with her twins! We don't see the gorgeous young woman with a models figure dumped a few months before her wedding with no mother near by to comfort her! 

We don't see the single mother working two jobs and standing at the food bank on her one day off!  We don't see the extremely handsome bulimic male who appears to have it all drinking alone every night wondering how to pay the bills! We only see what people show us... happy smiles, an appearance that everything is okay! Beautiful words and pictures of the good times!

Digital art cards

What goes up, also comes down.  Although some may  have their homes paid off, they may suffer chronic headaches, or chronic heartaches! Some may seem to be following their bliss every moment they post on the net. While in private they suffer a mental illness  secretly wishing they could jump over the side of the boat they fish from! Everyone has imperfections in their life. It's sad to see so much envy among creative people.

Years ago I went to a unique lives and experiences seminar where I heard Joan Rivers, Lauren Bacall, Sally Jesse Raphael, and Candice Bergen speak on separate occasions...All these woman had suffered some kind of traumatic hardship yet all appearances would present  their lives to seem rich with perfection! None of whom I would envy.

The famous musicians who seems to have it made, probably sang at many dive joints and played the hurry up and wait game  for a decade or two before getting a break! The artists getting a few dollars for their paintings probably spent  hundreds of hours and dollars on paint and canvas before getting to that juncture. 

Most authors have  probably read and written thousands upon thousands of words, had too many rejections to count before their success! What sets them all apart is they never gave up. They trudged through the mire of the situation and persevered until  they found the much deserved acknowledgement! I have witnessed several artists and writers flourish over the years. They never gave up...they were true to their passion in light of every obstacle. They worked hard, pushed doubt to the side and stayed true to their unique contribution!

There is no room for envy in this life, only admiration. Everyone gets knocked down from time to time. It builds character, shows us our strengths, teaches us compassion, and makes any bliss we feel even tastier!

 Time and again I hear jealousy and envy in the voice of others... and I think, we know not what others suffer! Some have tough sad childhoods and finally find peace in adulthood, others have struggled as teens but blossom later. Some have a beautiful retirement while others enjoy a perfect marriage and lose a spouse early. 

People have ups and down. The beautiful artist you may envy probably spent many hours alone practicing their art, while you had fun  with friends! The lone musician may have been treated poorly at home and never properly acknowledged until later on when the world fell in love with their talented sound and lyrics!  

It's best to put energy into our own direction and what we want our life to look like. What makes us feel good, happy, excited. Instead of comparing, celebrate the progress, accomplishments of our fellow creatives, learning from their triumphs over adversity.  Being  happy for their  success knowing we also have something totally unique to offer the world! Hang with good souls, admire them...and leave  envy at home, it never deserves to play with adults! 

What is making you happiest today?