Believe Manifesto

Last night I had to learn a very important lesson. I don’t think it could have come at a more crucial time for me, but it still wasn’t easy.

If you listened in on my live video last week you know that I was talking about slowing down and not being so hectic in this season. Last night I let the busyness and my own convenience hurt someone else. It was 100% unintentional on my part, but it didn’t make the pain it caused her any less real. The grace she showed me makes me tear up even now though.

On Friday I had met this woman and we had talked a little and I shared with her that some people were really rude to me that week and she said she understood. Last night she walked up to me very quietly and spoke gently and said, you told me the other night you are a mom in your 30’s right? Yes I responded, and she went on and said, remember how you told me you were really upset about those people who were disrespectful and wasted your time? Yes I said. Well I am a 57 year old mother with the bones of an 87 year old, and tonight you did the same thing to me by not thinking about the space you were using and how that affected me and having to walk much more than I should be.

You all…my heart broke in two right then and there. I apologized and tried to explain that this situation was a huge misunderstanding. That wasn’t really what needed to be said though. I processed this for a little bit. And I spoke this aloud to a friend and I decided I just needed to ask for forgiveness and ask in kindness if there was anything I could do to make the rest of her night easier. So I approached her and told her I was sorry and to please accept my apology. She responded with the upmost grace and kindness and said, of course I do honey. When I asked if I could help her with anything she again responded with kindness and said that no she was going to clean up and go home but she appreciated it.

It made me think of the kind of vibes we are spreading around this season. I got busy last night and I was giving out rude and disrespectful vibes which resulted in an unkindness towards someone else. I’m glad that I had to learn this lesson, because now I realize how something so small and seemingly inconsequential to me, can be something extremely disrespectful and painful to another.

I want to be a person who spreads joy and kindness wherever I go. Is there a moment where you had to learn a hard lesson lately?