Sometimes you just have to do what others won't!

Normally, I like to share lessons I've learned from my dog Eli, but I thought this week I would share a lesson I learned from my mom when I was in 7th grade.  I'm not sure she remembers it, but it was such a significant lesson for me it is one that I think of often.

I may have been one of those strange kids, but I really liked my mom (Of course I loved her, but I think young people tend to dislike their parents for a period of time.  I didn't really go through that).  I actually really enjoyed when she was a chaperon for our class trips. 

My class was going to a place called COSI, which is a really cool science-like museum in Columbus, OH (I think).  I was in my moms group, which I loved, as was one of my classmates, a girl named Tina.  She had a skin disorder that caused her to grow access skin that flaked off, so her skin always appeared scaly.  Most people were afraid to touch her for fear of "catching" something.  You know how kids can be at that age and I'm sad to say people were not nice to her.  I wish I could say I was better then them but my unfortunate silence was probably actually worse.  For as much as I claimed to be  Christian, to this day it bothers me that I did not stand better on my beliefs.  So here's lesson number one, just because we are not cruel to someone, does not make us better then the people who are.  Sometimes choosing not to interact and befriend those who could maybe use a friend is a little worse because quite frankly, we should know better!

So any way, back to my story.  My mom, much like Eli, makes the world a better place because she's here.  That day at COSI, she showed me exactly how I should live my life and treat other people.  At some point in the day, I saw mom holding Tina's hand as we walked around.  She didn't treat her any different and didn't shy away from holding her hand, and I'm sure that many people might not have done that.  That one simple act did so much to teach me about respect!  Such an amazing lesson from such an amazing woman!!! 

You remember that golden rule right?  "Treat others the way you want to be treated".  I always tell people there is more to that rule.  "Treat others the way THEY want to be treated".  I think I'll take it one step further, "Treat others BETTER than they want to be treated". 

Thank you mom, for one of the best lessons of my life on how to treat others with love and respect.