You Just Never Know

Every day we encounter people, whether it's through our jobs or our friends, at the grocery store or passing people on the street. We rarely think about these people unless they're someone we know. We don't stop to consider their past or what they've been through, we don't spend hours wondering about their family or how they're doing at their job. We pass them, maybe we smile and then we move on with our lives. Sometimes we stop for a few moments to have a conversation or exchange some pleasantries but rarely do these conversations have any significance in our lives and yet, on those rare occasions, it can really make you stop and think.
I was at work today when one of our customers was distracted while driving and accidentally ran over a tree on the sidewalk, they were fine and after making that everyone was all right and the appropriate people had been called I didn't think too much about it. Until... I had another customer later that night who made a comment about the car on the sidewalk, after explaining that everyone was fine and that the driver had been distracted I started to go back to my job. His next words shocked me and stopped me in my tracks as he began to tell me his story of how just a couple of months ago his wife was walking in a crosswalk and was run over by a driver who was looking at a GPS or something instead of paying attention. Now he didn't say how his wife was and I was too shocked to ask but for the rest of the night his story has stayed with me.
My point isn't to warn you about driving distracted, you already know the dangers and that's your decision but think back to the beginning of this blog where we were talking about all those people you encounter throughout your day. You may never know their story, what they've gone through, where they come from or maybe even their name but next time you're caught up in a conversation or God brings someone into your life keep this in mind.
Life's hard, for everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from we've all been through struggles, maybe a smile will change that person's day, or a kind word instead of avoiding someone's gaze. Maybe we should spend a little more time listening to that little voice that tells us to smile and take a moment to greet the store clerk or the stranger on the street and a little less time caught up in our busy thoughts.