The sun refused to come out that day. Instead, raindrops pelted our driveway at a 45-degree angle. Better than hail, I say.

Walking to School Uphill in the Rain

My daughter takes the bus to school. In elementary school, she is young enough that the bus picks her up right at our house. My older son walks to a more centralized bus stop to wait with his friends. All she has to do is walk down the driveway and wait for the yellow bus to flash its “get on board” lights.

But in the pouring rain?!!

My husband, getting ready for his morning commute, drove her down the driveway and sat with her in the car to wait for the bus. All she would have to do is open the door and take the few steps it would take to get inside.

“I am going to get so wet when I walk to the bus,” she complained.

My husband couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re lucky, you know. I used to have to walk to school.”

Her reply was a raucous “Ha, ha!” delivered like Nelson Muntz from the Simpsons.

I know this because when we sat down for dinner together later that night we had a big old laugh over the incident. We were laughing so hard, we had tears in our eyes. My daughter was a bit embarrassed by it all and then told us how thankful she was that she was able to take the bus. I didn’t dare tell her that back in the day I walked over a mile to school, uphill, even when it rained.

The Woe Is Me Card

My daughter threw out her “Woe Is Me” card when she complained how wet she would get and my husband threw one right back when he talked about what he had to do when he was a kid. They are hardly the first people to do it. My first thought was I walked even further than my husband did!

It is okay to have a little silly fun every now and again but it is another thing altogether when you try to spin everything into unnecessary drama. Too many people have become numb to the people around them. Instead, they make everything about themselves.

Someone I know said his boss was found crying in her office. Apparently, their business was undergoing some changes. The restructuring was not going according to plan. In fact, they were falling behind schedule. This person’s instinct was to belittle her. Why would she cry over THAT? I have had more stress than this woman will ever know, they thought. She should try walking in my shoes for a day.

All I could think was WOW. Instead of reaching out to someone who may need a little extra support, their knee-jerk response was to mock her suffering. This person did not know the details of this woman’s stress, what her responsibilities may have been, or if her job was on the line. This person did not know if she was dealing with other issues in her personal life, health or otherwise. This woman took a moment to let go in a private place and was being ridiculed for being human.

The boss didn’t play the Woe Is Me card but her employee did.

Have a Little Empathy

The “Woe Is Me” card is a wicked tool. It makes people feel they can push themselves to the front of the line at every opportunity. Look at me, it says. Pity me, it says. I one-upped you, even if it’s in a negative way.

When you think about it, those cardholders may not have gotten the support they needed in their own lives. When someone so quickly tossed their problems aside, disregarded them as inconsequential, it made it that much harder for them to imagine someone else in pain. If they do not know what it feels like to receive support, it can be hard for them to know how to give support.

It really is no wonder the world feels so cold and distant these days. It has become a game of emotional survival. Focused on getting themselves to the finish line, people fail to see what others may be going through.

Each and every one of us has the ability to make a difference in the lives of the people we meet. Sometimes all it takes is a smile or a simple gesture, like holding open a door, waving to a neighbor, or buying a cup of coffee for a stranger. Better yet, listen. Take the time to stop and listen, truly listen, to each other.

When we see that brief flicker of kindness, when we are seen and heard, we are reminded that there still is good in the world. Maybe, just for the moment, that kindness will make someone put their Woe Is Me card back in their wallet. Maybe, starting today, someone can begin to heal.