The American Nightmare...

I spend my days in an area of suburbia otherwise known as East Brentwood. It's full of high-maintenance yuppies, driving their expensive cars, living in their huge houses, and giving their neighbors fake smiles and waves as they go out to get their mail at the end of the day. The particular street that I work on bears striking resemblance to the Wisteria Lane of TVs Desperate Housewives. Life for these people is a big masquerade. The bad news is, eventually the truth catches up with us all. Eventually the picture perfect lives these people have tried to build for themselves and their families crumble right before every one's eyes, for all the world (or at least the neighborhood) to see.

Enter Family A, one year ago. Dad is a songwriter, trying to make it big in the music business. Mom is an actuary, and makes way more money than dad (but no one knows that). Two beautiful blonde-headed boys, Blaine (2) and Drake (3 months), and their full-time nanny, Joy, complete the family. Big house, nice cars, everything they've ever wanted. Sounds like a perfect life, right? Wrong. Soon, dad leaves mom and the kids for a younger woman. Life falls apart, and a year later, no one has yet been capable of putting the pieces back together. No American dream here. Just heartache, frustration, worries that keep mom up all night, and a baby that screams way too much. Let's try again.

Enter Family B. Dad owns his own company, and works from home selling shares of his business. Mom also works from home, and, again, makes more money than dad. A pretty blue-eyed little girl named Annika (1), and her full-time nanny, Brittany, complete this family. Again, big house, nice cars, expensive clothes. They must have it all together, right? Nope. Mom hates dad, and would leave if it wasn't for the child. A few months ago, mom was pregnant with her second child, but lost the baby. Oh, and did I mention that dad's business is having problems? No American dream here, either. Just bitterness, rage, and despair, coupled with parents who aren't really sure they want to be parents most days. Let's try again.

Enter Family C. Single mom bought a house in this neighborhood with money from an inheritance. She has one son, Cody (8). Mom spends her days lounging around the pool in her bikini, flirting with all the single young men in the neighborhood. The easy life, right? Well, a few months ago mom gets busted for selling drugs out of her house. She is put on probation. And if that wasn't enough, the other day she came home and found her roommate dead in the garage, from an apparent suicide attempt. Definitely no American dream here. Just legal issues, hopelessness, and addiction. We'll give this one more try.

Enter Family D. Dad works in the film business, and rubs elbows with the rich and famous almost daily. Mom is able to be a full-time mom to two beautiful little girls, red-headed Maddie (4) and sweet baby Riley (1). This family has it all. Mom and dad love each other, the girls have everything they could dream of. Except for the occasional cranky child, this is a content family. Then yesterday happened. While playing in the yard with some of the neighbor children, a car pulls up in front of Family D's house. A social worker from DHS gets out, and takes mom and dad inside. Mom is accused of abusing her four-year-old child. Life shatters for this family. Mom gets in the car and runs away. No American dream. Just lies, deceit, and helplessness. More like the American nightmare.

So what is my point in singling out these families? My point is that happiness and contentment are not found in the American dream. There is no American dream. If we chase careers and chase images, we are simply chasing the wind. This world has pain. People die, lies are told, and we make bad choices. It is only through Jesus that we can make our way through the ugliness of this world, and I wish very much that I could hand Jesus to every one of these families. If Jesus were in these situations, it wouldn't necessarily make them disappear or be easier, but at least they would know who is in control. It would turn the lies into truth, and give them something worthwhile to chase after. The American dream never stays dream-like forever. Without Jesus it turns into the American nightmare. Without Jesus, suburbia is hell.