One story that changed the way I see people was that of a popular TikTok creator, Selena.
During her pregnancy, many of us watched her videos. She always looked beautiful, smiled for the camera, and shared moments that made it seem like she was enjoying that phase of her life. From the outside, everything looked perfect. Like many others, I assumed she was living happily.
Months later, she came online and shared what she had actually been going through. She spoke about the pain she experienced during her pregnancy, the difficulties after giving birth, and how she felt mistreated in her marriage. Hearing her story broke my heart because it was completely different from what everyone had assumed.
That moment reminded me that social media only shows what people choose to share. A smiling face doesn't always mean a happy heart. Someone can post beautiful pictures and videos while silently fighting battles no one knows about.
Since then, I've stopped assuming that people are okay just because they look happy. Instead, I've learned to be kinder, more understanding, and to check up on people whenever I can.
The biggest lesson I took from her story is this: appearances can be deceiving. We should never judge someone's life by the highlights they post online because everyone is fighting a battle we may never see.
