If this isn’t the truth. I try to remember this passage when I’m standing in line at the grocery and the woman in front of me is fumbling for change and taking forever; when a colleague snaps at me about an issue; when my friend forgets to return my call; when my neighbor walks by me without smiling; when my kids scream and yell; when my hubby fails to take out the trash.
And I am usually able to reset and look at the bigger picture (except with my hubby – I have to try harder at that!). As my stepmom and I discussed on our walk this weekend, we are all just trying to hang in there through what can be a very trying and difficult life. We don’t know where anyone else is on their journey so why not take a more loving approach and when someone is an a–hole, move on with a smile on your face and hope their day gets a bit better. They obviously are dealing with something much bigger than you. My daughter lives this passage well. Nearly every time I complain about someone, she interrupts and puts perspective on the situation.
“How do you know she didn’t just get in a fight with her mom?”
“How do you know that her dog isn’t sick?”
“How do you know she didn’t just receive really bad news?”
(And these have all come out of Ri’s mouth).
Kindness can smooth the edges. Kindness can bring a smile. Kindness can turn a crap day into a semi-crap day and heck, sometimes we need to accept that’s simply the goal we need to aspire to for the day.
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