As it is now, I mean in this stage we are currently in this world, one need not be encouraged to stay off envying people (the negative part because I heard envy has two sides) because most of the things we are seeing are, more often than not, the opposite of what they are in their deepest or closet. Especially in this age of social media, a lot of things have been painted white, particularly with people's lifestyles, and when you look closely, you'll find out that such things are just mere cover-ups.
I once had a priest whom, from afar, I admired so much and wanted to have a home like his. He's a pastor, and you know, the way they make marriage look real and sweet publicly is so tempting, and for once, I believed that life is always greener when one gets a home that's religious and, at the same time, spiritual too.
Although before I got close enough to see how their home was, I had heard rumors about the trouble in their house, but I never believed them. There was no way I could believe that because they always appeared charming with matching outfits in church. The wife was very respectful and presentable during church hours, they drove to church in one car, and drove back home in the same car.
One day, I was invited by him to help with a task. It was a Thursday evening, and when I got there, I was marveling at the sight that welcomed me. The wife was busy throwing abusive words at him from the bedroom while we were in the parlour, and this priest didn't mind that I was around; he was still returning the same kind of words to her, and he said his own more deeply that I wished to block my ears, but I couldn't.
That day, although I was touched by those words, I took it as a normal occurrence in a family; after all, it can't be rosy all the time in the family. But after that day, I began to take notice, and I found out that even the displays they put on in public to appear normal and loving in the sight of the masses, there were still noticeable signs that something was wrong.
The truth is that the happy home, happy marriage I was meant to believe was not what was really happening in that home. My eyes were opened to the fact that not everything we see, especially in religious homes, is as it seems because most of the time, these people, especially the clergy, cover up a lot and appear fine just because they're public figures.
Sometimes, I ask myself, "Why do people pretend and cover up, making people believe that their life is fine while it's actually the opposite?" The honest truth is that the world is configured to be like that, and it's going to keep happening and even grow worse as we continue to live.
We shouldn't just be quick to believe and assume things and want to cross to the greener side we think is there when we've not made a concrete confirmation about it.
Thanks!
