The 10 Year Challenge

Watching the recent wave of Facebook posts that contrast one's former looks and current one forced me to exercise some long-due introspection.

Age has definitely touched me in the last ten years. My skin and weight and general health are not, and probably never will be, the same as they were as a college freshman ten years ago. My life is fulfilling and happy and blessed, but it's also taken on a form that my "doctorate-degree-holder-and-world-reknowned-novelist-mother-of-three-who-has-it-all" younger dreamer self would never have pictured. God's ways are higher than our ways, and His will takes us places we probably would never have pictured ourselves.

For me, however, the most thought-provoking part of these posts was the way they compelled me to consider how much I've changed from a spiritual perspective.

If I were able to contrast my behavior from ten years ago and today, would the two images reflect two levels of growth - or the same immaturity, selfishness, entitlement, self-righteousness, insecurity, and fears? If these two versions of me could converse with one another, would my younger self be able to glean from added wisdom from the older - or would my older self just agree with all the follies of youth in which my younger self delighted?

And even if I've moved on from certain obsessions or habits of the past - have I outgrown them or merely replaced them with a new array of idols?

It's fun to play a game of contrasts. I've seen so many old and new pictures of my friends and family placed side by side to fun, cute, or even comedic effect. The "10-year-challenge" is a fun thing to do.

But these posts are also a chance for self-examination in the things the human eye can't see.

I can only hope that in God's eyes, He would consider this older version of me someone kinder, wiser, more dedicated, and more joyful than the person I was before.