Earlier this week, my wife and I went to a presentation at our library on how the speaker was dealing with some grief and loss in his life through nature and being outside. It was interesting to hear his story and how he was moving forward through his grief. It also reminded me that I have no idea what the people I cross paths with on a daily basis are carrying.
Think about all the people you intersect with during a day:
- Friends
- Co-workers
- Clients
- Cashiers
- Service providers
- People in the car next to you
- The person behind you in line at the grocery store
- Neighbors
Each one of those people is likely carrying a burden. Whether it’s something small or large doesn’t matter. What does matter is that they are carrying something that we likely know nothing about.
The presentation at the library not only reminded me of this reality, it also reminded that there is more going on in people’s lives than I am usually aware of, and that I would do well to keep this in mind, and treat others with grace and compassion.