Everyone has a story

I think I would be a much nicer person and this would be a much nicer world if, when I interacted with people I remembered that everyone has a story.

A friend of mine just told me that one of his very good friends just found out he has cancer. He's young and he has a 2-year-old and a wife. He just got news that has rocked his world. But when he goes to the grocery store for bread and seems cranky in line, someone might think "what a jerk". I mean, I do it every day. I get my back up because someone isn't polite or because they act ... however. But I need to keep drilling it in to my head that we all have problems. We all have a story.

When you're a teenager or a young adult and you hear someone say life is so hard it's easy to be really blithe and think it applies only to some people and never to you. Oh but life is really hard. Really, really hard. How much easier it would be if we all could treat each other with a little kindness, some respect, give one another the benefit of the doubt. It would make a good day even better and a bad day bearable.

On another note, still have the counselor's number, still haven't called. Why? Scared to be told that I am wrong, scared to be told I am right?

And another note entirely: just 7 days until our A leaves for her great adventure -- 4 months in Spain. I miss her already.