Psst! I Know You're Bumbling Too!

I don't have very many pet peeves I choose to make public. In fact, I have this annoying personal characteristic of being able to see most things from multiple perspectives and sides (just ask those who have gotten cranky at me for the tendency to play "devil's advocate" how annoying this is.) I just can't hold back any longer on this one, however, so here goes...

You don't have all the answers and I know, for a fact, that you haven't got it all figured it out!  There, I've said it. I don't really feel a sense of relief and I do understand I need to explain myself. The advent of social media has taken the Self-affirmation Movement (I'll just call it SAM) to a whole new level. Where people used to tape little Stuart Smalley statements to their bathroom mirrors ("I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and Doggone it, people like me!) they now post them all over Facebook, Twitter and other world wide inter-places. I want to invite all the self-helpers and self-righteous, my-sunshine-happy-healthy-day-is-better-than-yours folks over for a nice, spiked cup of cocoa and say "Pssst! We know you are stumbling and bumbling along on this messy life's journey too and hey, that's where the connections happen so lighten up!"

I know I'm a We'll see, I'll try and I'm learning as I go along person--even though I honestly thought I'd have it more together by the time I got to be my age--so this likely clouds my appreciation for other people's quotes about their inherent awesomeness and providence-given divine perfection. I want to cluck, Oh yeah? Well I know you spill your coffee and put your sweater on inside out, too!

I've read the books; I've heard all the very wise directives as to why I should think positive, imagine myself wealthy and all that other good wiseness, but here's the thing--I actually like being an ordinary, bumbling sort stumbling along here with all my other very human compadres.  I'm drawn to other folks who are giving it their best unpretentious shot too. I would rather not see other folks' soul-searching, illumination-seeking journeys splayed out in self-righteous splendor for me to climb over while I'm looking along for photos of delicious-looking meals, adorably naughty kids and pets, and tales of aggravating work days and attempts to make things--just sayin'!