"That" Person

We all have a list of people we don't want to be like. For example, I never wanted to be "that person who yells at her kids" or "that person who doesn't spend enough time with her kids" or "that person who's kids look like they need their clothes cleaned and their hair combed." The longer I'm a mother, the more compassion and understanding I develop for "that" person.

You see, I used to have a long list of people I judged to be inadequate human beings. Now, I have an even longer list of people I sympathize with because I have walked in their shoes. I find myself now saying "that person needs a smile" or "that person needs a kind comment" or "that person needs some empathy."

Raising kids is hard work. Judging others instead of helping them makes it even harder. I am no longer afraid of being "that person" because each time it happens I learn a little bit more about being human and having compassion for someone else. I cannot say I am over being embarassed when something happens, but I am learning to be more compassionate.