The Sad Truth

It was a normal day when I decided to walk to the nearest Family Dollar. I had a few essential things to get. Most times I go to HEB but today, Family Dollar. As I walked up to the cashier to pay I noticed she seemed depressed and tired, like life wasn't going her way at all. The question just came out of me, "You seem tired, are you okay?"

In a soft voice and a head shake, she said, "No."

I could barely hear her, but I did.

I saw a glimpse of myself in her. I saw a woman who I used to be. I saw a woman I'm slowly but surely separating myself from. I saw a woman who was not just tired but exhausted. I saw a woman who has a dream for her life and staying in Texas ain't it. I saw a woman that's tired of the BS around her, and everything she tries to do just isn't working. I saw a woman who feels stuck and is doing her very best to fulfill the purpose of her life. All I could do was pray because I know that woman. I left that store thinking of how many people we humans see and walk by daily that might be going through something. It might not be as noticeable as the woman at Family Dollar, but still, people are hurting. We don't even notice sometimes. The sad truth is that some people might not have noticed the woman at Family Dollar.

I couldn’t help but think, “Why is she so sad?” I felt like her confidence had died and she had given up on life. She seemed hopeless and extremely insecure. I could clearly see something was wrong. I’m also aware that too many people are walking around with smiles on their faces, but are completely broken inside. Trust me, I know. I know people say “I’m okay” or “I’m fine” too many times because, due to past experiences, they don’t believe anyone really cares. Trust me, I know that, too. I’m grateful for people that have the guts to be vulnerable and say, "No, I’m not okay." I’m grateful for people that don’t always want to put on a brave face. I’m grateful for people that dare to be honest.

However, I wish I told that woman we all have a purpose. There is no way our mother's birth us into this world to not have a purpose. I wish I told her there’s no way we are created so intricately, delicately, with all our parts and functions, to not have a purpose. I wish I told her that I can relate. I wish I told her, "Yeah, life isn't easy sometimes, but everything will be okay." I wish I told her to intentionally practice gratitude, and write down goals if she hasn’t already. I wish I could’ve had a conversation with her, and just listened to what she has to say. I don’t know her personally. I don’t know her beliefs, but I wish I would’ve encouraged her in any way I could.

Life sucks sometimes, but we all have a choice to make someone's day better. We can make someone's day by genuinely asking "How are you?" and "Are you okay?" We can make someone's day better with a word of encouragement, a smile, a hug, a text, a phone call, quality time, or coming over to watch movies, eat pizza, drink wine, and laugh. These things are so simple, but can be so valuable to someone. It really can make a huge difference in someone's day, and maybe life.