Everyone around you is suffering

I recently observed a guy in the coffee line who was being incredibly rude to the barista.

In the very moment I decided he was a jerk, he apologized and admitted his little boy has leukemia.

It changes things doesn’t it?

Not all bad behavior is so easily justified. But it is unlikely that the person who is behaving badly is having a really great day. It is unlikely they were raised in a good home with kind and loving parents, are in a healthy relationship, and get to wake up and do work that they’re proud of. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be acting like a jerk.

Assume that everyone around you is suffering from something.

When we let go of our judgement, we leave room for something better.