We’re All in the Same Fish Bowl

In a world where we face many struggles, many of which are exacerbated as self-designed and implemented, comparisons with others are about as unhealthy (generally speaking) as any philosophy for life.

When we come at life with a pure acceptance of who we are and where we are at – as if to acknowledge that God has placed us discretely here, in our bodies, with our minds, and in our lives – we tend to shun comparisons.

Whether we compare ourselves with others or not can make a great deal of difference to our experience of life. Those who compare are destined to lose perspective, whilst those who remain free of comparison are at generous liberty to live life unconstrained by the curse of perfectionism.

People may think they’re better or worse,

As they compare themselves to us,

All we can do is fully disperse,

An accepting grace with no fuss.

In the end it comes down to this,

When the dice of life stops its roll,

This is something we don’t want to miss,

We’re all in the same fish bowl.

We are all on this Earth, for this time, for this age, for a purpose, in our discrete locations of influence. Not one is better or worse according to God. There is no reason for arrogance or submission because of comparison. Comparisons are irrelevant.

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There is little need to put pressure on ourselves in this life, and one way we do just that is by entering into unhealthy comparisons with others.

As soon as we realise that we are no less and no more important than the next person we are freed to live life. Of course, we may have a lot of unlearning to do, but we have the rest of our lives to do that in.

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Life is made better with learning.

We can improve our stock of satisfaction by walking with God on the road of learning toward the destination of the goal God has called us from a long time ago to.

Combining the fact of our placement in life – that we’re no better or worse than the next person – we have the role to live, to love, to laugh, to cry – to experience the fullness of life – from right where we’re at!

We’re all in the same fish bowl. Let’s enjoy the fact of our bodies, our minds, our lives – make the most of them whilst we have this bodily existence, not comparing to other people.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham.