Seeing Things

An author from the late 19th century is attributed with writing, "Be kind, for every man is fighting a hard battle." Later, the adage was adapted to say, "Be kind; everyone you meet is carrying a heavy burden."

Each day I see this secret sorrow etched on the faces of those around me: the burden behind the smiles, the battles that rage in silence as we laugh out loud. Today I wallowed in my own misery and offered scant compassion indeed. Tomorrow, my goal is to treat the world with kindness, and in so doing, maybe lighten my own load.