This post may be a little long, but yesterday, I had a revelation of sorts, and I wanted to share it.
I find myself (often) asking, "What is wrong with people?" Seriously, why are they so crabby and grouchy and downright unpleasant?
I mean, we all have bad days, don't we? And disappointments?
My son had a banquet last night from a sport that he played. And as we were sitting there watching the video of the season, I noticed that one of the main players was not in attendance. I also know, that sometimes his family has transportation issues and monetary issues. This was a very special night and I hated to think that he would not be there to get the recognition that he had earned. So I hopped in my car and rushed around to their house. His grandmother would not let him go. After me begging her for about five minutes, she finally relented and let him go.
I got him there and he walked in the door just as they called his name to award him trophies.
The thought that kept running through my head is, "What kind of person wouldn't want her grandson to be there to receive awards?"
That was pretty judgmental thinking on my part, huh? After the program, I took him home and stopped in for a few minutes to talk to his grandma.
I came away with a whole different mindset than what I went in with. She was not being a "bad" person, or even being "mean". She was just tired. Life has beaten her down. She has her daughter and all of her daughters children living with her in that small house. The daughter is always at work, so she is left to raise those children. She has some illnesses that can be very debilitating and tiring. And she was upset with the sports program because they didn't give her adequate notice of the banquet. And I could see that. We were only given two days warning and then only because my son remembered to tell me. There were no letters sent home to any parents. She felt like she had been disrespected by the program and by her daughter, who had not mentioned to her about the banquet.
The moral of this for me was to stop being so judgmental when someone is being unpleasant and maybe take a moment and say a prayer that God will relieve them of whatever pressure it is that is making them that way.
HUGE eye opener for me.