Not geographically. Your background. What made you who you are today? More interestingly, what made the person next to you who they are today.
Recently I was having a conversation with a friend. A friend whom I've known for a few years. A woman I know as caring, an amazing mother, a sweet all around person. In our conversation she let me in on a little history of her family and where she came from. This conversation was only a few minutes, but in that few minutes I realized I'd never thought of the problems she may have overcome to become this amazing person. I'd just assumed she came from a "normal" background. Her background was not BAD or anything, it was just a little reminder that we should never assume anything about anyone.
Each one of us has an interesting story. I may be boring at this particular moment in my life, but the events that led me to this moment in time may be extraordinary. Just like the events that happened in your neighbor's life, your co-workers life, your grocery clerk's life. I just wonder how many stories we're missing out on hearing because we're not listening to one another, or just not asking. We take people for who they are today, but forget to inquire where they were yesterday, where they came from, and how they got to be who they are in this moment.
I guess the point of this post is just a reminder to ask more questions about the people you're talking to...I'm sure they'd love to share, and you might just learn something new about someone and have a whole new respect for them. So I will leave with this question:
Where are you from?
I always wonder, when I meet someone with an attitude problem, what it was that happened in their life to make them bitter. It helps me extend a little more grace their way, knowing that at some point they faced something transformational and it didn't work out well for them. And your story is anything BUT boring!
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather. I try to remember that too, but its hard sometimes!
ReplyDeleteSo true. I always try to remember this but it is hard especially because it is so easy to judge a book by it's cover but mostly because it is hard to become vulnerable enough to let others in, trust them with things that you may be judged for, and know that by allowing others in your not weak but in fact, strong. I have learned this over the years, especially in recovery. But I went through this same thing with my step mom this week. She is 37, and in the early years we clashed but I have grown to love and cherish her especially after being pregnant together (weird) and now raising our sons together. And finally this week we had a breakthrough and it all started with each of us revealing and discussing where we are from, certain things we experienced (especially as a child) that molded us as adults. It was amazing, I never expected to here that story and I especially never imagined that it would be so similar to my own. And all though I don't think I will just walk around opening up to every one, I did promise myself that I would try to see the story in every person's heart, even if I don't know how it reads.
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