A Part of the Picture

I took some time to relax by the water yesterday. There was quite a pretty spot with the sun shining through the foliage, casting a play of shadows and light on the rocks and water.

For you, a fellow blogger looking in from the outside, it would be easy to assume that all around me is a continuation of unspoiled nature; that it’s peaceful, relaxing and soothing to the eyes.

But what if I showed you the rest of the story?

Construction work for a new roadway

Apartment buildings

Now, I do have to say, behind me was a nicely landscaped tiered garden which does add a quaint touch.

Complete with an outhouse in case nature calls…

The Outhouse

And then more green foliage.

The Scenic Path

As I was taking the pictures, a train rumbled by, the “thumpity-thump, thumpity-thump” of the wheels overpowering the sound of the water. The faint hum of cars could be heard from time-to-time, along with the chattering of children, the swooshing of skateboard wheels and the occasional question of a passer-by asking-how do you like the nice breeze?

It made me think of us as humans. We only show most people a small snippet of our life and that’s usually the part we want them to see. We’re afraid to show the part of our life that’s still under construction. We certainly don’t want them to meet the not-so-nice characters that have moved into our thoughts. Heaven forbid if we even let on a tiny bit how stress has had the ability to “thumpity-thump” its way into our minds and override our peace. Who really cares, we think.

So, we show them the picturesque part, or at least close to it. They smile, paint a picture of our life and walk away, silently wishing they had their life come even close to being as put-together as yours.

Yet, all of the bits fit together to create a mosaic of the human experience that can be deeply interesting, connecting and reassuring, when we take the time to geniunely see and care.

A Very Short Distance From Where I Had Been Sitting

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