Let me be upfront about this post: these pictures are a lie yet at the same time they are not.
Well, it would probably do to claim that I enjoyed a much-needed short getaway last weekend, away from the hustle and bustle of a megalopolis. Imagine how exquisite: me walking slowly to cherish the sunset by the sea, taking a picture or two as the light banded across the water looking so stunning. I mean, what’s not to believe? We had an excuse to indulge in something lulling for a change—it seemed like the perfect escapism after five long workdays. Except the truth was, my friends and I were only there for about ten, fifteen minutes top.
Yes, we were really there. And yes, the sea had never looked so pretty even when we almost had to push our way through the throng. But we spent almost all of our day in a gelato bar after having lunch nearby (ordered the delicious durian and strawberry cheesecake flavor, though combined, they didn't taste that marvelous). I wouldn't have had the slightest idea that we were only a few steps away from the sea that entire time if not for a friend pushing us to take a walk outside.
These pictures may not be entirely a lie, but they don't tell the whole story either. The week that followed this short escapism confirms this unnecessary statement: what we see in people is not always what we get. We all are like a living puzzle anyway—the parts they're able to weld are the pieces we show and let them have. Without the complete package, our story is only a shred of fact and, most of the time, a misfit presumption.
So yes, whether for the better or worse, what we see on the surface is not always the truth. I know some people who would do anything to constantly look good on social media even though they're actually struggling. I know some people who look like a perfect barbie doll living the dream while burying the secret of the father's grief and the mother's tears. I know some people who try so hard to fit in a certain lifestyle by making their parents work ten times harder in their mid fifty.
It is how the world is, ironically. What looks good isn't always good, but what looks bad isn't always bad either. I know someone who everyone claims is too quiet and irresponsible—the truth is, she is just awkward, though she is actually quite a nice person to talk to once you've got to know her. I know someone who acts like such a busybody that a lot despise her for meddling too much—in the end, she is the fastest to reach out and help them when in need. I know someone people said particular bad things about—and she is actually one of the most considerate people I know.
At the end of the day, what we know the best is our own story. I now know better to keep my opinion to myself and not to judge. It's difficult, I admit, as our mind usually makes up this certain image of someone and holds on to it like some sort of manual about how to act around them. The handbook, however, isn't always right, though sometimes we wrongly assume that it contains everything we need to know.
Just like the picture of this beautiful sunset, a portrayal doesn't always tell the whole story. The sky was pretty, and the arrangement of the cloud that day was amazing. But did you know that the crowd actually made it hard for me to enjoy the scenery? Or did you have any idea how we were actually worried that the rain would come soon? I believe that sometimes there is more to it than what the eyes see.
