As I approached the building where I work this afternoon, I saw a parent and a child on the sidewalk nearing the first lane of traffic in the parking lot. The parent was not holding the child's hand. The child looked to be about three years old. I heard the parent say, "What are you, stupid? Don't you know enough to watch for cars in the parking lot?" I've seen other examples of less than optimal parenting styles in the building but this one made my eyes well up. I need to remember this interaction. The next time I encounter someone who is rude or angry or who seems to have an overabundance of emotional baggage, I want to remember this child I saw today. I wish I could inoculate them with resilience. I can't fix it. I'm pretty sure this child will have issues as an adult. What I can do is try to refrain from judging people. What I can do is try to make all my interactions with others a positive experience or at least a neutral experience. I can try to avoid negative interactions with others. It's the least I can do. That poor kid today was just an innocent child.
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