As much as I share my own, I generally don’t have any interest in other people’s lives. This appears to be strange in modern life, as many others consume other lives as entertainment, either on TV or social media. I typically have enough to worry about on my own without looking at anyone else’s. I look upon it in the same terms as the phrase used in relation to prison sentences of “doing your own time” and not letting the people around you affect your life too much.

I do take note of the world around me though, and often find the little snippets of conversation overheard fascinating. It offers a little peek into what other people are experiencing, although I am sure one that is completely out of context. When sat in a coffee shop, or waiting in line, I frequently catch little glimpses into other people’s thoughts and I enjoy taking in other view points on things. Finding out what others experience or are talking about is important to understand where your thoughts are.

It is easy in these instances to make judgements about people. To overhear their worries and fears, and regularly their arguments, and then make decisions about them as a person. To become judgemental and look down on them or view them as wrong. You overhear discussions and arguments that often affect your opinion on people that you haven’t even met. Viewing your life as better. On the other side, if you believe social media, everyone’s life looks better than ours because we are comparing insides to outsides.

What glimpsing into other lives does to me is make me thankful of the life I have. Grateful that I do not have to go through other people’s experiences, and be appreciative of the things I have. As Lucy Lord said, “If we could all put our problems into one big pile, we’d take our own problems back every single time”. It’s easy to view others through a lens or in a snapshot and decide on our own lives, but when we take a step back and see the reality of our world, we realise how lucky we are.