I am in a health foods store. I am trying to buy ginger pills to alleviate the constant nausea I am experiencing. With the help of a saleswoman, I find my item on the shelf. I zip to the check out. I am exhausted. My heart is racing from standing. I think I may pass out. I think I may throw up. I just want to get out of the store as fast as possible. The clerk rings up my purchase. I swipe my credit card. I patiently wait for the woman to give me my item. She places the bottle in a bag and then holds my bag hostage.
I endure a very lengthy speech by the saleswoman about her daughter's health issues. My head spins. I am trying desperately not to pass out. I wait and wait for the woman to finish speaking. When she finally ends her story, she insists I tell her why I need the ginger pills. Why do I have nausea? I quickly summarize my GI health. I can see from the woman's face she is stunned I have so many GI issues. She finally seems to acknowledge I have more medical challenges than her daughter. My pills finally see their moment of liberation as the woman hands me the plastic bag. I flee the property. I immediately lie down as soon as I get home.
As I think over this memory, I know what the topic for my next YouTube video should be: "Who has it worse? Don't play the game." The game of "who has it worse" happens when people try to compete for the imaginary title of having a worse situation than the other person(s) in the conversation. This is the game the woman at the health food store was playing. It is always a destructive contest. It does not build people up, but only tears them down. Even if you "win" the game, you will feel very low and depressed you have such a terrible situation.
I quickly write a script and put the video together in my head. I begin pre-production, making slides and uploading screenshots of them into my movie editing program. The days pass. I refine the script.
The night before I am going to film the video, I have a lot of anxiety about the video. What if the topic comes off as negative and is not well received by the audience? I wrestle with the subject matter. It is an important topic, but will others have the same opinion? I frantically try to create a new video in my head--one with a different topic. But, I am too tired. I fall asleep.
The day I am to shoot the video, I again struggle if I should make the film. I finally record the video. It comes together nicely. I watch the final version of the film. It seems to be upbeat. I show the media creation to my mom. She tells me she really likes it. I sigh. I think to myself, "Maybe this won't be a complete failure after all." I upload the video to YouTube and pray my video brings encouragement and blessings to all those who watch it.
To watch the video, please click here
"Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up." (Proverbs 12:25)
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