My wife, Killie and I were on vacation in Greece. It’s a sacred daily ritual of sunshine, the ocean, and deciding what to eat. One night we arrived at the hotel restaurant. My stomach is empty (skipped lunch!). A smiling waiter handed us an a la carte menu. oh yeah!
Lamb slowly roasted with honey and thyme.
Grilled shrimp surrounded by saffron-infused risotto.
Baklava was exposed to rose water syrup.
We spitted!
Then tragedy struck.
Half board? I thought. Like Half-Welcome.
The waiter robbed the menu before reaching the second syllable of “Mussaka”. There is no apology. No explanation. Just confiscation of food.
The waiter then said actively. “The wrong menu. You’re halfboard.”
Half board? I thought. Like Half-Welcome.
Instead of the Greek gastronomy glory, we were handed a halfboard menu, a piece of paper.
Three courses. There are no options.
Starter: “Soup”. At 85 degrees Fahrenheit, I came from England. I didn’t want the soup. I wanted shade and iced coffee.
Main: “Fish”. There’s no choice of fish. . . fish. Unique.
Dessert: “Apple pie.” that’s it.
And at that moment we realised what “half board” really meant. They fill your plate, not your heart.
For the next two hours, I sat like a guest at the wrong wedding reception. It’s fast enough to watch the party, but enough to know that you’re not invited.
We sat biting the mysterious menu in the growth of emotional trauma.
Around us, other diners ordered grilled sea bass, fiery lamb and feta salad. The waiter danced with a platter and a smile.
Every few minutes, I find myself strolling through the past in aromatic and theatrical things (smoke, sizzle, drizzle) and speaking like the British naturalist David Attenborough.
“Here we see a majestic lamb shank, gracefully descending on a couscous bed, and bypass Table 7, where half-borders sit quietly and question life’s choices.”
And that happened. I went through something unexpected. FOMO: “The fear of missing out.” It’s not the usual social kind. No, this was a crisis of full fat, deep courage, existential culinary. And the worst part? I don’t usually do this.
Killie, blessing her, she was graceful. She said, “It’s okay, it’s just food.”
But I wasn’t OK. I was a total bitter on the halfboard. It sits in the birthplace of democracy, but cannot vote for dessert.
What is FOMO?
Somewhere, they live their best lives…and it’s definitely not you.
FOMO is a modern phrase that was created in the early 2000s and spreads across social media. It’s anxious feeling that somewhere someone is living their best life…and it’s definitely not you.
While reheating pasta from last night and scrolling through social media, someone else is scuba diving in the Maldives, riding through Tuscany, or gliding through the Mediterranean on a yacht.
FOMO is the belief that life holds everyone else while you hold onto your coat.
That’s what happens when we compare a curated, filtered, charming, someone else’s day highlight reel to our own slightly overcooked Friday.
vy Nori: The real culprit behind FOMO
Let’s be honest. Beneath the hashtags and humble bragging there is an ancient emotion: envy. Now, enho and je are cousins, but they are not identical twins.
Jealousy is the fear of losing what you have. vy wish is the responsiveness that someone else has what you want.
FOMO wants a digital disguise. It whispers, “Why aren’t they me?”
FOMO wants a digital disguise.
The Bible is not about coping with sugar: “The mind of peace gives life to the body, but envy covers the bones” (Proverbs 14:30 NIV).
And social media? A 24-hour bone buffet.
But here is the truth. We don’t envy anyone’s reality. I’m jealous of their presentation. You can see editing, not effort. Posting, not pressure. Not a complete story, but a snapshot.
Practical symptoms of FOMO
You stop savoring your own meals because you are looking at other people’s things. You measure your value by other people’s moments. Your gratitude disappears the moment you open your Instagram.
Antidote to envy: gratitude and satisfaction
The Gospel offers a completely different lens:
His thanks stated: “What I have is a gift,” the content states: “And that’s enough.”
The Bible invites us to breathe deeply and let go of comparison:
“Satisfactory piety is a great benefit” (1 Timothy 6:6 niv) “Be grateful in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT) “I have learned to be satisfied no matter what the situation is” (Philippians 4:11 NIV)
Practice gratitude, envy loses oxygen. When we are satisfied, FOMO dies.
Halfboard Wisdom: What did I learn?
So let’s go back to the Greek halfboard. What did I learn?
I learned that envy is to edit God from the moment.
I learned that envy is to edit God from the moment.
Killie and the two of them table. Interesting memories we will share in ten years’ time. And a gentle lesson from heaven: stop staring at the other person’s plates and see who is sitting on the table.
Satisfaction doesn’t mean pretending to be a la carte. That means trusting that God’s good is not a limited menu. He knows what we need. He knows what nourishes. And sometimes… he gives us a taste of humility and humour before dessert!
So I conclude with a sincere prayer:
Lord of all tables,
You know how easily my mind falls into envy.
I scroll past someone else’s joy and forget about my blessings.
I complain about the soup when I should be grateful for the bread every day.
Compare, complain and crave things that are not mine.
Save me from resenting the celebrations of others.
Tell me to bless others for what you enjoy and to please what you put before me.
Would you appreciate it faster than scrolling?
You can celebrate faster than comparisons.
And it’s quick to experience joy in ordinary people.
Let me remind you that the best things in your life are not posted.
They are alive.
And they are found within you.
Amen.
Originally published by Philo Trust. It was reissued with permission.
J. John is an evangelist, minister, speaker, broadcaster and writer. He has been in the mission for 40 years. He spoke in towns, cities and universities in 69 countries, and founded the Philo Trust in 1982, organising offerings for various evangelical ministry. J.John’s Weekly Podcast, The J.John Podcast, features a range of interviews with Christians in all their journeys and lectures. Click here to listen. J.John’s books can be ordered via Jjohn.com or other online or through physical bookstores.
The Philo Trust was founded in 1982 by J. John to organize evangelistic events and projects, to naturally share faith with Christians, share leadership evangelists, and create books and resources to help people on their journeys of faith.
