The Perfect (Mythical) Woman

In her excellent little book (Mythical Me), Richella Parham begins by describing a single event that led to a personal journey into addressing her struggles with comparison. Having recently moved to a new neighborhood, Richella was invited to a Bible study. When she came home, she began describing all the wonderful characteristics of the women she had met that evening:

“Belinda is so kind and friendly. I wish I had her sense of humor.” “I wish I could be more like Ann. She’s incredibly organized.” “Boy, it would be nice to be like Shanna—she’s so poised and beautiful! I…