Time and Time Again... and Again...
Photos never really do justice for true beauty. (Krabi, Thailand)
It’s been three months since I last wrote on my blog. The least to say is that a lot of things have happened and I’ve been kept busy with a lot of other commitments.
I’ve always talked about how time is so precious to me. Right now I’m so scared that I don’t have time for all of the things that I want to do. And I’m also scared of not having enough time to cherish more moments and people that I care and love.
Alhamdulillah, this year God has blessed me with so many opportunities and I’m so grateful to really experience them all. I was fortunate to travel for a month to Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand- some of them were places I have never been before. I have to admit that although it has been a month since I got back, during and even after my trip I haven’t been very active in social media. Yes, I still post stories on my Instagram but I barely post any pictures like I used to. I thought that I would be spamming my followers by now but lately I have a different perspective on social media. I really don’t care about the amounts of likes or followers that I have these days. That’s why when I do post, I post them whenever and I post three at a time.
As a millennial where society is absorbed on going on their phones and looking their best and living their best lives on social media, it doesn’t faze me anymore. That’s why you see me posting about the things I get up to, weeks after it has happened. I genuinely think that it is overrated and it’s alarming to see some people get their validation and measure their self-worth from the pictures that they post. For example, when I was travelling I would watch girls get really upset and even angry because the picture wasn’t right or the angle was off. It’s such a shame because they didn’t realise that they were travelling and visiting all these amazing places. Rather than taking all of the beauty of the place that was surrounding them, they were more focused on the likes that they would like to get later on and they had their phones in their hand the whole time. Yes, I admit that I used to have my phone all the time and I used to always take pictures. And I still do like my photos but when I take photos I always limit myself and then I put my phone aside to enjoy the rest of my travels or the people that I’m with.
Even when I’m at concerts, I don’t take pictures or videos. I get them from my friends because I know that they will be snapping away and I would like to actually enjoy the artist performing, instead of watching them through a screen. This really hit me when I was at a Ne-Yo concert. My all-time favourite artist was performing live right in front of me and I was too busy watching him through a screen and making sure it would look good for my followers.
Nonetheless, I do believe that we as humans have never been so connected than ever before. What I like about social media is that we are able to connect with family and friends that are far away and that we are able to network and connect with other people through these mediums. There are also amazing people and accounts on social media that publish beneficial and inspiring posts. But although we’re connected, we are not close or intimate. And a deep connection is what I crave. That’s why I think that we should have balance with our use of social media.
Right now, I’m trying to deflate my ego or vanity. Instead, I’m trying to be more humble and modest. I’m chasing simplicity and I’m filling my cup with my own self- love, self-worth and validation. I must admit that it’s not easy because the temptation is still there for attention, to show off or to even brag and sometimes I do slip. But at the end of the day, having an ego is not a desirable trait, there is really nothing that you need to prove to the world or anyone and anything can be taken from you at any time. Just be grateful, live your best life humbly and cherish those important moments because you never know if you will ever experience it again.