What is with "The Best?"

“The Best.” We hear it regularly. If you’re on Facebook, you hear, or rather read it on a daily basis. “I have the best boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, life, fill in the blank.” But what exactly is “the best?” I mean, it’s impossible to know what the universal “best” is because we all have our own standards of “the best.” What’s funny to me is how much people take to social networking to make sure EVERYONE KNOWS that their life is THE BEST EVER. But, looking back at some of these posts, these same people who claim that they have the best of something, usually were complaining about it two weeks prior. “Came home, made dinner, and so and so didn’t even acknowledge my existence. I guess I am not worth noticing” Something so negative about the person they share their life with, but then two days later, because they bought this person chocolates or flowers (which is a stupid, stupid thing to do) to show “how much they care” all of a sudden, THE BEST gets thrown around again. I am sorry, but that just doesn’t make sense. It is completely irrational for people to go from feeling pity, even anger about someone and then because of a purchase of something so material like flowers, that someone is THE BEST EVER! OH. MY. GAWWWD!

I feel like there is no universal meaning of “the best.” At least, there shouldn’t be. A lot of people tend to view shows on TV, or movies, or their friends’ relationships and think that’s how a relationship should be. But, that’s just setting the relationship up for failure. Nothing is the same. No relationship is the same, nor should it be, because then you will be going in a circle of repetitiveness, and who wants that?

I, personally, have my own definition of “the best.” But, I only apply it to myself. Did I do MY best today? Did I do MY best at decorating that cake? Did I do MY best at cooking something up for dinner? Did I do MY best to let someone know I love them? Did I do the best that I could do today? That’s what matters. Sure, I can say I have the best life, the best partner, the best WHATEVER, but what I consider the best is not what someone else would consider the best. It is almost a pet peeve of mine when someone writes that they have best kids, best husband, wife, or what have you. It not only seems to be a way to try and uplift themselves, but make everyone jealous or upset because they don’t have whatever it is someone is best-ing.

We all get wrapped up in it. Whether it is applying it to people or life, or applying it to massages, food, recipes, you name it. We all do it. I am trying harder to not do it because I find it so ridiculously annoying when other people do it. I often say I make the best gluten free and vegan scones. And, I do because I did my best to make them. I feel like the word “best” should only be applicable to you. Not anyone else or not any other subject. The best should be you, “I did my best.” That’s all we can ever wish and/or ask for… At the end of the work day, I often say I did the best that I could, because it’s true. Even if there were crises or something else that threw a wrench in the day, I did the very best I could do.

It’s an interesting concept. I challenge people to pay more attention to how many times they say “the best…” because I bet it’s more than they thought. We do it in everything. And instead of focusing on the outer things in life, I would much rather hear “the best” for personal use.