The reality is not real

This is going to get real today.

I reconnected on Facebook with a friend from high school about a year ago. Her posts were always positive, uplifting, upbeat. We had a few conversations over the year and all of them she was helping someone out. Whether it was giving me encouraging words, asking me if I could help out a friend of hers......she was always looking out for others, that was her nature. I found out that he upbeat, positive, great picture taking life wasnt so perfect. She was a victim of domestic violence, that usually doesnt just happen over night. It saddens me that someone is going to grow up without parents, it saddens me that a life was taken senselessly.

Now, I am not going to pull out actual statistics but here is what I see:

Military families see increasing domestic violence, increasing divorce rate, you throw special needs kids in the mix and I am sure that it blows up the numbers exponentially. There are factors that others dont have per se, like multiple deployments, multiple moves, PTSD, other health concerns related to military service, lack of family support......the list can go on. I am not saying that military families have it more difficult, just different.

You add in social media......the picture perfect couple, the fabulous lifestyle, the M-Effer Pintrest S&^%!.......usually, that is not the reality.

The reality is that the neighbor down the street could be beaten by their spouse, the kid at your child's school could not have food to eat or their own bed to sleep in. The person you work with could be a drug addict.


You really dont know what goes on behind closed doors.

You dont know that we took a billion pictures on Santa's lap and 2 seconds after we finally got a "perfect picture" one kid makes a face and the other was crying and we got looks for *worst parent of the year*.  You have no idea if your friend's perfectly spotless house ....maybe she is a hoarder upstairs. The neighbors that are 'keep up with the Jones' type' might be in debt trying to do so......who knows.

My point to all of this is, you never know what is really going on with people unless you are with them behind closed doors. We all need to stop measuring our worth by Pintrest and perfect FB posts. We need to lift each other up. We need to not think there is a stigma that you cant get help. I know I cant do it all, and my life is not a picnic by any means, but I go to support groups, I see a psychologist for ME! Advocate for what YOU need! Get respite to get a break from your stresses.

If I need help and support, I reach out!!!!!

I just wish more would do the same.