Loneliness A Big Problem Today

A Good Reminder: The Boy With The Shirt

I was standing in the WINCO checkout line waiting my turn when I looked over and saw the back of this kids sweatshirt.

On it was something like “Don’t Judge You Don’t Know What Others Are Living With.”

The kid was probably 13 or 14 and looked like that message was the story of his life.

So I said: “I really like your sweatshirt and especially the message on the back.”

With downcast eyes he thanked me.

His mom or grandma said “Yes it is an important message isn’t it?”

If I were somewhere else I would ask the young man what that meant to him.

I would have a conversation and tell him how much I relate to that message on the back of his sweatshirt.

I think a lot of people feel as though they are the only ones who stick out, stand out, don’t measure up when in fact there are lots of us out here.

In the movie “Life of Chuck” there was a line I wish I could remember as it was but I’m 65 so that’s not gonna happen.

Nine months before he would die he runs into a girl playing drums on the street and his life of dance comes rushing back to him.

The point in the movie, to me, is do not crush your passion or allow others to do so in the name of practicality.

We don’t know what our neighbors or the guy behind the cash register are dealing with and vice versa.

Think of all the people who look so put together on the outside but are struggling on the inside.

That young man has no idea his vulnerability struck me so much I had to rush home and write this down so I remember.

We don’t know what others are going through.

And when we feel alone, sometimes we truly are, and that's part of the human condition.