About two years ago, I stopped buying the tear-free baby shampoo for my kids in favor of the more “natural” products on the market. On numerous occasions, of course, this “natural” shampoo would drip down into my little boy or girl’s eyes, prompting them to burst into tears. 

I always thought they were overreacting and never switched back to the tear-free brand. But the other night, I somehow managed to get shampoo in my own eyes. Yow!!! I couldn’t stick my face in the water fast enough. It really stung. I had no idea.

At that moment, I was struck by the thought, “Wow – you just never know how someone feels until you’re in that situation yourself.” And then I began to think of all the people that I encounter on a regular basis who are struggling with one life challenge or another.  

As the holiday season approaches, we begin to hear pleas from different organizations to give to those who are less fortunate. We hear accounts of people who aren’t able to heat their homes or put food on the table.  These stories seem more plentiful this year, with gas and food prices soaring, the economy in trouble, and lots of us out of jobs ….

When we’re on the outside looking in, it’s all too easy to minimize the gravity of someone else’s experience. Surely the shampoo can’t sting that badly.

May the hair-washing incident be a lesson to me… to show more compassion. And to recognize the difference between what I think I know and what I really know.