One of my favorite local boutiques airs a Facebook livestream on Tuesday afternoons, when the owner and her worker bees sport their new fashions. All of them are “stay-at-home comfy” pieces; a few have some sequins or sayings.
She was
happy to announce that their “Be Kind” sweatshirts are back in stock.
It they
weren’t cropped – the exact opposite of my style – I’d consider getting one,
because I’d feel good wearing it. The saying would make me think, for the
moment at least, that We’re All In This Together.
Because
lately, it seems, we are a nation that is divided in every possible way, from
matters related to COVID to the myriad of issues capturing headlines that
impact us all.
On top of that, there are our own personal struggles.
Yesterday –
August 29 – marked 10 years since Matthew, David’s son, passed away from
rhabdomyosarcoma (a soft tissue cancer), at 20 years old. It is hard to believe that a whole decade has
gone by. That’s a lot of time for David to be walking around with such deep
sadness and pain that he knows will never go away.
Certainly, the
guy in line in front of him at the supermarket or at Lowe’s would have no idea
that this is a deeply wounded man. Nor would the person he rides by on his bike
or a new neighbor or the postman.
Most likely
they too have their own anguish to deal with that others may or may not see or
know about. All around us, there are people
experiencing heartbreak or hardships or any type of challenge that makes it
difficult to muster the strength to place one foot in front of the other, day
after day.
It’s just
the way it is, unfortunately, with no one able to escape the harshness of life;
therefore, we may as well recognize our collective plight as a unifying factor
as opposed to focusing on our differences.
Perhaps if
we keep in mind that everyone we see may have been tossing and turning all
night due to something that has scarred them for a few hours or will for an
eternity, we’d be more apt to take our gloves off and find some tenderness from
within to extend to one another.
Judy this a wonderful blog with such meaningful sentiment. Our society has become so coarse and ideal and identity focused that I find it hard often to have even general conversation without concern for what manner of feedback I will receive. Yet there have been many times, at the store, on social media yes even there,or on the road where I see and feel empathy about "we are all in this together" which brings me hopefor us as a society. Thank you for letting me ramble.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed...kindness and gratitude are needed during this time of fear and anxiety! Thanks for reminding us all that we can spread positive energy to each other!👍🏽❤️
ReplyDeleteSuch an important message. The world could be so much better if everyone was exactly that - just kind to one another. It takes so much less effort to be kind than it does to go out of your way to make others feel badly.
ReplyDeleteMatthew is and will always be FIMH! <3
Judy, this is a beautiful and heart wrenching appeal.
ReplyDeleteGosh, 10 years....As a parent, to think of all that could have been in those 10 years is devastating. So many parents mourning for their children in the world...we all do need to remember that we are all one, all the same on a human level, and be aware of that at all times so that we can feel compassion and live and let live without judgement and hate. Be kind to others as you are kind to yourself, never truer words my friend. Hey, maybe they have a BIG oversized crop that would fit you as a real shirt!!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds so simple, doesn't it? "Be Kind"! Yet, for some reason, people don't take the time for this simple gesture.
ReplyDeleteAs Allison said above, it takes so much less energy to be kind because that should be in our nature to want to be kind to others; it should come naturally. I think the way the world has become has turned that natural instinct inside out and has made people second guess that gut feeling when they feel it. They start wondering and thinking too much about what they should say, or how they will be perceived.
Kindness should be received with kindness, and if it is not, then the people reacting without kindness are the ones who are confused.
I think there is just too much freedom to say whatever we want on social media today without thinking first how our words might make someone else feel.
Thanks for this great blog, Judy.
Every person has a story, whether you can see it clearly or not. Compassion kindness and everything I words I tried to live by. Love this blog, Judy. Timely message. I suggest sharing it on Facebook too.
ReplyDeleteLove you Judy. How lucky i feel that our paths crossed those many years ago. My grandma lost her youngest, my uncle Melvin who passed when i was 6 months old. The loss was always there for my grandma who lived till 99. Maybe we should say love never dies.
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