Greener Grass

By: Erin Rose Hennessy

“The grass is always greener on the other side.”
This quote often comes to mind when I see my little students wanting the toy in their friend’s hand, even though they have a toy, or several toys, or even an identical toy in their own hand. Because their friend has a different toy, that toy is automatically the best toy ever created and they must have it in their possession immediately.

I find the same to be true with adults. Do you ever find yourself watching others or scrolling through their social media, or listening to their stories of great travels and adventures and wishing your life was as exciting as theirs?

In a conversation I had recently, the subject of Facebook Depression came up. The phenomenon that everyone else’s Facebook wall is way better than one’s own, which translates to a better life. This can stir up feelings of jealousy, loneliness, isolation and in severe cases, depression. The hard part is reminding yourself that everyone else has problems, too, and no one’s life is sunshine and roses.

One thing that I notice about Facebook is that a lot of people treat their wall as a shrine to themselves and how adorable their spouse, children, pets, house, neighborhood, and vacation is. As a group, the trend is to only post the good things because we erroneously believe no one wants to hear about the burglar that broke in, or the car accident, or the fact that their boss fired them.

I don’t agree. I for one, feel more of a connection to those Facebook friends who show life how it truly is. It’s got good moments yes, but some are messy, loud, annoying, and quite frankly, depressing. It shows the true picture of life rather than the perfect photograph of a perfect white picket fence, 1.5 kids, and puppy dog.

Now, I’m not saying every single post should be depressing. I just find it refreshing to see that others don’t have a perfect life either, because life isn’t perfect. Sometimes we’re miserable and sad and it’s nice to know someone else understands.

What’s your take on the Facebook Depression phenomenon? Do you like to keep your wall cheery or do you share the bummers, too?