Wants & Problems

"American girls, they want the whole world...they want every last little light in New York City"
- The Gaslight Anthem


I don't know if commercials and credit cards are to blame, but we do live in a society of insatiable consumerism and want. I'm just as guilty as the next person. I trick myself in to believing I need things that I really just want. I buy things just because.

Yesterday I went to CVS on my lunch break, to walk around and look at some of the magazines and Christmas decorations. I told myself I didn't need anything before I walked in, that I was only there to get out of the office, relax, and kill a little time.

But then I started seeing things that were really cute, and I got a basket. I filled the basket up with some gift bags (even though all my presents are wrapped), some coffee (which I don't even drink, but it was in a cute Norman Rockwell tin), and a few other items.

Then I did something amazing. I put everything back. I walked out of the store. I left.

I came back to work empty-handed. And, guess what? Everything was just fine. I didn't need any of that stuff. As soon as I was away from the store I didn't even want any of it. It was just a silly temptation to consume, because of.....what? Are we just programmed to buy things? I don't even know why I wanted to buy any of it. Boredom? Retail therapy? Who knows.

All I know is that at some point, what you have has got to be enough. I could spend $25 on my lunch break. But what would I have to show for it? Conversely, if I make two extra mortgage payments a year, my loan will be shortened by ten years. Now, that's something to spend money on. That has a purpose and a logical reward.

I know this is the season of giving, and I'm all for it. God gave Jesus as a gift to the world, and the wise men brought Jesus gifts. I think presents are an awesome way to show our love for one another. But, be reasonable. Give meaningful gifts, and discuss setting a spending limit with your friends and family. Volunteer , donate money, or provide goods to those less fortunate than you. Give in the Spirit of Christmas, not in the spirit of Chase Visa.

I started with a Gaslight Anthem quote, and I'd like to end with one:
"What you don't have, you don't need it anymore..."


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"If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back." - Anonymous

I saw this quote recently, and it got me thinking about how much we compare ourselves to others. And how easy it is to buy into an illusion that our problems are so big and unique that we are the only ones facing common challenges. Facebook certainly doesn't help.

You know how they say girls shouldn't compare themselves to models in magazines, because even the models don't look like that? The models spend hours in hair, makeup, and wardrobe and then even more hours being airbrushed and photoshopped. Well, I think Facebook is the common person's Vogue photo shoot.

On Facebook, we put forward the best versions of ourselves. And then, when we compare ourselves to others....we're not looking at the reality of someone else's life, but the airbrushed version.

It's easy to believe that someone else's life is more peaceful, beautiful, or uncomplicated. Because we are only posting the best pictures of ourselves - pictures on the most stylish days and coolest nights out on the town. And our status updates are often about the really great stuff: how much we love our spouses/partners/kids, how we got a new job/car/house, how we just had so much fun at the latest concert/movie/bar. And in every picture each house is perfectly clean.

Newsflash - no one's life is like that.

So here are some truths about my life, things you would not necessarily know by looking at my Facebook profile:

• Our kitchen counter is always covered with mail, despite the fact that I have a cute little basket set aside just for this purpose. The basket is full and the counter is still a mess. We are totally unable to manage the influx of paper in to our home.
• I love buying jeans at the Gap, mostly because they fit perfectly, but also partially because I wear a size 12 there. Most places, I wear a size 14. Ideally, I'd like to be a size 8 or 10. I can hear all you skinny girls gasping right now, but it's okay because I'm speaking the truth.
• I spend right at about $100 every month on my cell phone bill, and I hate that. What the hell, Verizon?! I don't even have a Blackberry.
• I have a My Little Pony coloring book and a pack of Crayola crayons that I use to zone out sometimes. It's a stress reliever.
• My car is five years old and has over 100,000 miles on it. I'm worried it will crap out before I'm done paying it off. And now I'm sending up a little prayer that the negative words I just wrote won't come to fruition.

Those are just a few of the reasons why my life is sincerely, wonderfully flawed.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.