A young mother of two children goes shopping whilst they are at school. She gets rather worn down carrying all those bags. She drops one of them and so with a sigh, bends down to pick up the bread and tins of food that have hit the floor with a thud. As she stands back up she trips up and falls into the path of another shopper, causing them to halt. The mother apologises nicely, greeting the stranger with a smile. Her apology is gratefully received.
She returns home and her husband has already picked the children up from school. She walks through the front door and is greeted by her family. As her children hug her legs and speak over one another about their day, she raises her voice and asks them to "Get out of the way" and adds "Can"t you see I am busy?'. She isn't terribly nasty or rude or even angry - she has simply forgotten to think about the way she responds to her family.
She is less pleasant with her children than she was with the shopper she bumped into earlier on that day. They were a complete stranger but they got a smile and some kind words. Her family have hardly seen her today but they don't really even get that smile. They all still love each other but the mother has forgotten how precious the time with her family really is.
Here's the point: Make the most of everything and everybody you have. Do not forget how blessed you are to have those around you. Yes you can greet strangers, but be sure never to take your family for granted. Love them as if you were never going to see them again but don't just love them, SHOW them you love them. We can all get bogged down in life but never lose your appreciation for what you already have.
