...But don’t we all do the same thing? At one time or another, haven’t we all chased after an illusion? The world presents so many things that are unattainable. It shows us the “American Dream,” flawless skin, perfect friendships, happily-ever-afters. These things are plastered all over television, the internet, books, magazines… you name it. We sing about true teenage love in songs. We read all of Demi Lovato’s skin-care tips. We watch Mr. Rich Marries Miss Gorgeous. And yet we know we will never attain this perfection. We know that high-school dating normally ends in heartbreak after a few weeks. We know Demi’s pretty photo is electronically airbrushed. We know that every marriage has ups and downs and that the guy who dies with the most toys… still dies. Even with this knowledge of the facts, we still spend way too much time and brainpower trying to catch the eye of that cute guy or girl. We still stand in Wal-Mart trying to decide if we’re ivory or light peach, or if Miracle Cream will really get rid of that dad-gum red bump. We still overspend on the latest electronic device and shoes and covet all the cool stuff we can’t afford.
I was puzzling over this. I wonder why I often trust advertisements over common sense? Why I stress out in front of the mirror? Why I get bummed whenever I see the Joneses drive by with their speedboat? I’m reminded of a quote that’s on the wall where I get my hair trimmed: “A beautiful thing is never perfect.” It’s true. A beautiful life is never perfect. A beautiful painting is never perfect. A beautiful person is never perfect. If we could achieve perfection… well, somebody in advertising would come up with the “new perfection” so we’d still have to buy the Overpricedandoverrated Brand of whatever to feel adequate. Maybe it’s time to be content with what we have and focus on God’s bigger picture instead.
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