Benefit of the Doubt

The other day I was at Cherry Hill with my good friend Stacie. We each had two kids with us. We ventured over to the blue slides. We had it all figured out. Stacie went down first with Tommy, then Andrew and Jack would follow, and I would bring up the tail with Lexie. As we are waiting in line we step out several times to reign the kids back in. As Stacie steps down into the water this woman probably around forty with maybe a ten year old girl, scowls at us and says, "Were you planning on waiting in line because the back is right over there." I was sort of stunned, mind you she had a very rude tone. I was kind of like really do you seriously think I'm trying to but in line here? I'm 29 not 12. Stacie who is quicker on her feet than me said, "I guess when you don't have two year olds anymore you forget what it is like," we had just stepped out again to get the kids. I was more than happy to have her go in front as I honestly don't think I was nor was I trying to sneak in front of her.
The whole little interaction reminded me of the importance of giving people the benefit of the doubt. This is something I have learned to be very important, and something I appreciate over the past year. I'm not someone who ever planned nor thought I would have three kids as close in age as I do. Andrew was three and two months when Anna was born and Lexie turned two, three weeks later. I have my hands full most days. So the birth of my third child has been a humbling experience and I have learned so much. I no longer judge the mother at the store who has the wild, bawling, fit throwing children. I feel for her as I have been there. The humiliation is real, as your face burns, and eyes sting as you fight off tears, and for me I can literally feel my blood pressure rise as my head pounds, as those of you who suffer from this type of rage will understand. I have had many people older ladies, whose children have long since grown and gone look at me with kind eyes and say, "it gets easier, enjoy them they will be gone before you know it;" or just the simple "I've been there." How I appreciate these people. I guess my point is, experiencing what I use to mock, has taught me not to judge. I honestly believe most people are doing the best they know how. Everyone's best is different and we are not all on the same plane or level and I'm glad for that, if we were what a dull world it would be. I don't always give people the benefit of the doubt and when I catch myself passing judgement I try to remind myself they probably are doing the best with what they have to work with, and lets face it we weren't all given a full deck of cards if you know what I mean. I see this all the time at work. Anyway, I am grateful for all the kind eyes and genuine, "bless her heart" that I get. Which I get a little more often than I would like. I'd rather be the incredibly pulled together organized women with perfectly behaved children; something to work towards. Enough rambling for today.