Editor's Query
Tell Us About A Time A Total Stranger Made A Lasting Impression

Sunday, August 31, 2008

THERE ARE SOME DAYS when

everything goes right. But I'm the mother of four children, and, honestly, those days are not the rule. When things get crazy and I am about to lose my mind, I remember the words of a stranger after a particularly difficult outing.

At the time, I had a 5-year-old, a 3-year-old, an 18-month-old and a newborn. I won't relate the gory details; let's just say that at the end of our family hike that morning, my four sweet boys were all in their car seats screaming, and I was standing behind our SUV, throwing strollers and yelling. Finally, I slammed the door shut and sat on the truck's rear bumper with my head hanging down, bemoaning my abysmal parenting skills.

Just then, two women appeared and started getting into their car. I looked up, a bit ashamed, and said, "Very tough day."

They smiled back, and, with no condescension, one said, "Don't worry; there'll be other days."

Her comment didn't judge my mothering skills or my children or offer advice on what I was doing wrong. It was a purely kind thing to say, a statement of hope and perspective that reminded me that no matter how tough things can get, there will be times that make it all worthwhile.

Dianna Flett, Stafford

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