“Great picture.”
“You both look great.”
“Love the picture.”
Many friends posted comments on facebook after I added a new profile picture of Alan and me. Because I couldn’t find a recent picture of the two of us, I cropped a group shot to get our photo.
In the picture we smiled, but the occasion was a solemn one. Surrounding us in the picture were two pastor friends and their wives. Gus and Cliff had conducted the memorial service for Stephanie, Alan’s daughter.
Our edited picture implied that everything was wonderful. The real, sad story was hidden on facebook, but not to those who shared our grief in person. Because of the love, prayers and support, we could smile.
Much of what we see in life is edited. Smiles cover inward tears. Persistence masks hopelessness. Giving conceals emptiness. Joking and laugher hides pain and despair. Like a book, the cover shown to the world shelters the story within.
While some instantly open the book, others resist letting anyone inside. My edited picture reminded me that I need to look beyond what I see and gently open books to read the whole story.
No comments:
Post a Comment