Take a minute...it's worth it.

How many times have you met someone for a quick minute or even saw them in the passing and made a judgement about them...and then got to know them and realized you were completely wrong or it wasn't what you thought.  There have been so many times where I assumed that someone's life was like this or that and realized that they actually have it pretty tough...in my last few years I've realized, everyone does.  We all have it pretty tough for in one way or another.

People are very often misunderstood.  Their actions aren't typical, they seem irrational, and sometimes they just seem a little bit off...well there is a reason why. There is always a reason behind someone's actions.  Ya it might not make sense at first, but if you take a minute to look at all sides of the situation you'll see there is a reason.

My mother's house used to be what you could call a "half-way house".  The people living there were people who just need a second chance.  They need someone to open that door for a new life.  My mom is a beautiful woman who accepts all walks of life.  A young man used to live there, for privacy sake we'll call him John.  John was 18 and "weird" as can be.  His personality was a bit different than the average persons, he dressed in all black, and well he just was a bit different.

At first my thoughts were "this kid is the weirdest kid I've ever met". Well after taking a minute to get to know him I found out, his dad was never in his life, his mom was using drugs while pregnant with him and after she delivered him, she died of a drug overdose when he was 4, he then went to live with his aunt/uncles and they physical abused him so he ran away and was homeless for a while.  Then lived with his other aunt who he still didn't get along with very well at all.  That's when I realized, well DUH he is a bit different from the typical person.  Look what he has been through!!

We all have a story...if we would just take a minute to get to know someone, to get to know their story, their motive behind their actions, the reason why they tick, it would be a lot easier to understand a person...to understand why they behave the way they do.  Let someone in before you decide to shut them out.  You never know the friendships you might form, the lives you might change, and more often then not you'll change your own life for the better more then you'll change anyone else life.