Everyone has challenges in their life, some visible, some not. When you see a person in a wheel chair, a homeless person or an immigrant, you may think that you know what their challenges are. You don’t. You can sympathize or empathize, but even if you’ve faced similar circumstances, you can’t feel their personal experience down to your core.
Unseen challenges affect peoples lives as much as the seen. Have you ever seen someone who looks perfectly healthy park in a handicap space? They may have an unseen challenge such as a heart or lung condition or they may be transporting someone with limited mobility. Trauma, mental illness and many physical diseases can leave people looking perfectly healthy on the outside, but not on the inside.
Every single human being has challenges. But the greatest challenge is to learn how to maintain your physical, emotional and spiritual integrity, no matter what challenges you face.
Dead people say: Don’t judge; it’s not your job. Your job is to be kind.
Thank you for this reminder to suspend judgment and be kind, Victoria. This is my wish for the world to learn.