When she entered a room she commanded attention.
She was strikingly beautiful.
She wore a classy black cocktail dress and gorgeous high heels. She was thin, blonde and just absolutely stunning.
I never met this woman before but saw her from afar at a recent family function. She was the kind of woman who lit up the room and as I continued to watch her, I was envious of her.
I wanted to be thinner – thin just like her. I wanted to be blonder – just like her. I wanted to rock that short cocktail dress and high heels – just like her. I wanted to command attention from everyone in the room – just like her.
From the outside, this woman appeared to have it all.
A few moments later, my sister-in-law came over with a glass of wine and sat next to me. She saw me watching that woman from across the room and she whispered, “I can’t even imagine. She has a husband and a twelve year-old son. It’s so tragic.”
“Tragic? What do you mean?” I asked.
I was completely confused.
“Oh, they didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
My sister-in-law’s eyes welled up.
“Heather, she has cancer. It’s terminal.”
Terminal.
The woman who I was staring at – the one that I wished I could be more like – is currently battling cancer and slowly, she’s losing the battle.
I turned my head in absolute disbelief and in that moment, I saw my husband through the kitchen window. He was playing in the yard chasing my children. They were playing, laughing, living.
There I was just moments before wishing I was a little more like that woman in the black dress but the crazy part is, she probably saw me from across the room and wished she was a little more like me. Or the person sitting next to me.
It’s amazing how you think from the onset some people may have it all – but the reality is, you never truly know what people are dealing with.
I got up from the kitchen table and quickly walked towards the door. Once outside, I ran to my kids. I hugged them a little tighter and grabbed my husband’s hand.
I didn’t want to let go.
And about that stunning woman in the little black dress that I didn’t have the pleasure to formally meet that day? Well, she’s another person who is etched in my mind for a lifetime.
That is exactly what I needed to read today. Such a great reminder to be thankful for what we have.
Yes, without a doubt Johanna!
Yes.
I’d like to think we all KNOW we shouldn’t judge other people, even if we’re judging them favorably when compared to ourselves. But it’s so hard not to do that sometimes, and this is such a great (though unbelievably sad) reminder that there’s always so much more to each person and their story than what we can immediately see.
There is so much that we just don’t know about that person we want to be like or that person we are judging. I suppose that it’s simply human nature that we do that though. Maybe we should all take that moment as you did and hug our families and the thankful for what we have in that moment.
Goosebumps. But so, so true, we never know what people have been through.
Working at a hospital, I get this reminder far too frequently. Every time I think that I have things hard, or that things just couldn’t get any worse, or that I’m just simply unhappy with the way my life is, I get a reminder that things could always, always be worse. And I just have to take a moment to be grateful for all the beautiful things I do have.
Wow…what a thought provoking post. Loved it!
Yes, it is amazing what you don’t know about those who appear to have it all. Love this reminder.
This is a beautiful post with a wonderful message. None of us know what the others are carrying on their shoulders. Thought provoking.
Just another story of how we need to be careful we are not judgmental of people. We do not know their story. We do not know who they really are.
I will say a little prayer for that woman and her family.
I think, sometimes all of us need these reminders. Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing.
This is SUCH a beautiful story, full of inspiration.
Beautiful (though very sad) story. A great reminder to be thankful for what we have and who we are. Thank you for sharing this.
A truly great perspective on life – let’s treasure what we have.
You have given me chills. Thank you for sharing this… as a single mom, I have a tendency to spend far too much time looking at “complete” families and wishing I had what they had and you just never know what goes on behind closed doors (I’ve actually blogged about that). I need to remember that my children are beautiful and happy and that lady whose family I wish I had is wishing her kids were more like mine
Oh my, this is stunning, humbling.
(Thank you for the teary reminder. And yes, you’re so very right, its ‘s so very true, You never know others’ stories.)
xo
It speaks to the resiliency of human nature that we need to be reminded of these kinds of blessings over and over. And it speaks to the empathy in human nature that we can appreciate life even more when we see someone else battling for hers.
Thanks for making me feel a little more human today.
Heath – you continue to take my breathe away… everytime I read one of your posts all I can think is… wow. Love ya old friend 😉