Needed Reminding...

A friend of mine wrote a blog today that has inspired mine. (Check it out- Jennifer at "A Day in the Life of a Winstead.") She reminded me that it is important to remember that everyone has a battle that they are fighting. You may not even know that they are struggling with anything. Take me, for example, I am a pretty positive person. Most people who know me would tell you that I always have a smile on my face and I try to make the best of crappy situations. Most people who know me also know that I am struggling with a few things in my own life right now, one of which is the lack of employment I am experiencing. I don't point this out to people in everyday life. When people ask me how I am doing I know that they are not asking for an honest answer. They are asking to be polite and I, in return, provide the polite response of "I'm great. How are you?" Now, people who know my personal life know that this is a polite response and that there are other things going on. So, they are able to overlook (bless their hearts) when I get snappy with them or when I rant and rave over something stupid... because they know that it is stress talking and not my heart. I know that people who know me well know all of this and I am thankful... however, I fail to think about people who don't know me and catch me on a "bad day" and end up with an ear-full or a snappy/snippy/rude response. I need to watch my tone and my words. I also need to think about things like this when people respond to me in ways that are unpleasant. Maybe they are struggling with their own battle. Maybe they have had something horrible happen and are simply trying to get through the day. Maybe they are right there with me... unemployed and stressed over money. Maybe they are just rude. Of course, maybe people assume that of me at times as well.

So, Jennifer, thank you for the reminder. I need to watch my words/actions and I also need to forgive others for theirs.