The screen protector on my iPhone had turned an ugly shade of makeup grease and pocket lint.  Hoping to salvage it I tried to clean it with not so great results. Admitting defeat, I peeled it and wiped off the bugary residue. Unfortunately, as I was cleaning I noticed the edge of the screen was coming up.  I immediately got online with the Apple gods and set up an appointment with the local repair shop.  I took a mournful drive to the shop, dreading the inevitable cost and potential time, gasp, without my phone.

An awkward, greasy technician inspected my phone. “Yes”, he said smugly, “of course the top part is lifting off.  It’s a screen protector.”  Wait. What? There was another one on there? Yes. I had protected my protector.  No wonder it had looked so dingy. With that kind of diligence it makes it difficult to imagine how I got pregnant four times in 5 years.

I’m losing it.

Layering  doesn’t necessarily mean better results. Two screen protectors didn’t improve my screen, it actually impaired the clarity of my screen. Once I accidentally put on two pair of glasses at one time and it didn’t exponentially improve my vision. I have even managed to get two bras on without noticing. An impressive feat to be sure. But doubling up didn’t improve well, anything.

Incidentally, hiding our emotional selves underneath work, responsibility, self importance, busyness, or any number of other things doesn’t work either. It’s like trying to camouflage fat under a sweater and extra layers of fabric. It just doesn’t work.