Skip to main content

If you knew someone was having a bad day, would you still?

I had to cancel my hair appointment yesterday. I am long overdue and I was bummed about making the call. I had been at a very sad funeral and watched my husband serve as a pallbearer once again. I then drove him to the airport and went to pick up my sweet Ben who was obviously in a fair amount of discomfort (thank God for my sweet and dearest friend Holly who didn't even bat an eye when I asked her to fit my sick child into her busy schedule). While these activities are taking place, I am away from work and watching as my inbox is filling up (thank God for co-workers who understand the importance of caring for family). We make it to the doctors office where he tells me Ben has strep, hand/foot/mouth virus, and an ear infection. Quinn is tired and crabby and mad at me because I won't let him play with his friends 24 hours a day. As soon as we get back to the car, I call to cancel my appointment.

The lady says, in the most disgusted, annoyed tone ever, "Ok. Well, I guess I'll let her know that you cancelled AGAIN."

I cried.

I wonder if that lady knew I was having a bad day if she would have used that tone? I wonder how many people are having bad days? Shouldn't we treat everyone as if they might be having a bad day? This was the greatest reminder to me and I wanted to share. I always say, everyone has something they are dealing with. I don't always remember to treat people that way, but its good to get a reminder.

TREAT EVERYONE AS IF THEY MIGHT BE HAVING A BAD DAY.

Comments

  1. TrinaJanuary 27, 2012 at 12:21 PM

    Jessie Joy, this is such a good reminder of the way I want to treat people. I love you and your insight so much! <3

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Life is so hard, ma'am. Life is so hard."

I lost it this morning. I seriously lost it. I lost it so badly that I posted this to Facebook: You know what gets me all fired up? The way so many white people treat black people here. I brought Miss to the eye doctor because she can't see. The optometrist is treating her like she's an idiot. Over my dead body will we be buying glasses here. I am absolutely FUMING right now!!!!! They are words that I mean and words that were not well thought out, words that were fueled by absolutely shock and frustration and more shock. Words and frustration that felt the same as if someone had insulted one of my children. I had a reaction that got my blood boiling so hard and fast that I consciously had to keep myself in my chair and say, “Jessie…don’t say anything stupid.” I thought of my grandma Doerfler…I know what she would have done. She would have told that woman WHERE.TO.GO. As tempted as I was, I didn’t. I made Miss an appointment to see the eye doctor because the poor woman can...
4 comments
Read more

I think you are, but what am I? No really...

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I measure myself - how we, especially as women, measure ourselves. Let's be honest, part of our genetic make-up as the feminine species insists that we constantly compare ourselves to those around us and, most likely, consider ourselves inferior at all times. Some of it is inate insecurity and some of it is inate humility. Imagine sitting down to lunch with a group of women, your super model neighbor walking in, and saying to your friends (who are undoubtedly admiring her put-together self), "What? I'm way prettier than her." Then your friends' dilemma would be who to hate more, the super model neighbor or you, right? I guess the conclusion I have come to is that comparing myself to other people is inevitable. I just have to make sure I do it in a healthy way. If you're saying to yourself, "I don't compare myself to other people," I am calling you out right now. I would put that in the same category a...
2 comments
Read more

Switching Quinn to the American School

We really aren't "those" parents. I love Quinn with all my heart, but I don't think he is necessarily exceptional academically. He is a very good reader; he is marginal at handwriting and art. He doesn't really have any special needs in school and seems to make friends pretty easily. You make decisions based on what you know at the time you make them, right? Quinn started Kindergarten in Arkansas with huge amounts of enthusiasm. He would run into school with barely enough time to smooch his mom and dad. He knew all the kids' names, all the teachers, and with the exception of the day he called someone a butt face, did really well. He loved school. When we came to visit and as noted in previous blog entries, choosing Quinn's school really wasn't a difficult decision. We looked at the American International School of Johannesburg and it was very impressive. A beautiful school, warm, friendly teachers, and lots of opportunity for kids to try new things...
Post a Comment
Read more