Dearest Dahlya

But sometimes the same joyful statuses I witness are so different when I receive private messages from the very same people.

Many a person has a story of loss or pain or betrayal or anger. Pictures of smiling vacations with spouses posted with questions about abuse.

Filtered, gorgeous, smiling selfies while the messages I receive are about eating disorders, self harm and suicide attempts.

Posts lauding love for their children while teenage kids message me asking what to do if their parents prohibit them from seeing a therapist for their depression.

You may be struggling with wanting to get married or fighting with your spouse or infertility or feeling you have no purpose or not enough income or being emotionally overwhelmed.

You may be questioning your faith or your struggling with your body image or feel your self esteem is completely destroyed. And then you look out and see that so many other people seem to be thriving. And God willing they truly are! But also in other ways, maybe their pain is just as raw as yours.

So be kind to everyone. The person with everything may be struggling even more than you feel you are.

And be kind to yourself. You’re taking it step by step despite reasons to be broken.

And know that alRaouf- the One Who is boundless in bestowing tenderness and affection- sees each of their and your struggles.

So don’t measure your life based on the comparative successes you see from others. Measure it only on how much closer your joy- and your heartaches- bring you nearer to Him.