Sunday, March 31, 2013

Screaming at a stranger

A strange thing happened to me the other day... I felt like screaming at a complete stranger. Can't say it's ever happened before. Here's what happened:

I was crossing the road, heading towards a Centrelink office, when an older man got my attention.

Him: Excuse me, are you looking for a job?
Me: No, I'm going for an appointment.
Him: So you don't have a job. People these days don't want a job, they just want easy money.

I didn't feel the need to tell him that the reason I don't have a job is because my baby was stillborn 2 months ago and I don't know that I would cope in a completely new situation. Instead I simply pulled it together and said "I just have an appointment" and kept walking...only to walk into Centrelink and have to wait in line behind a couple with a newborn in a pram that was the same model as the one we have. Needless to say, it wasn't a good morning.

The conversation with the man just made me think how we really have no idea what is going on in the lives of people around us. We don't know which woman is the 1 in 4 who has lost a child. We don't know who has just lost a parent, had a fight with their spouse, or lost their job. We just don't know. Which means we have no right to judge on appearances or actions. I always knew that we shouldn't, but this encounter certainly made me realise why: it's so easy to hurt someone unintentionally.

6 comments:

Sarah said...

Oh, I'm so sorry for that! It hurts so much that people don't know. I feel that way all the time.

Larissa said...

I'm sorry you feel it too...if only there was an easy way to let people know!

Bake on Sunday said...

I had a bad experience in Centrelink too, you are just to raw when you go in there that maybe there processes for grieving parents needs to be approached another way.
I just read your post on MLM facebook feel free to add me to chat if you need too.
kellie-anne x

Larissa said...

Thanks Kellie-Anne. I'm sorry to hear you had a bad Centrelink experience too

Unknown said...

Thank you for the reminder to be compassionate towards everyone. We just don't know the story they are carrying.

Larissa said...

You're welcome. If only we did know - it could make life so much easier!

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