Laura is a woman who keeps fighting, a mother of three who goes to work every day as a supermarket cashier. Two of her children are at home: a preteen and a teenager who takes care of things around the house while she is away. The third, her youngest, is four years old and in hospital. He was born with a very unusual genetic condition that even she does not fully understand. All she knows is that he has to stay in completely sterile surroundings so his immune system is not put at risk. Of course, she would give her life to be with him, but she has to earn a living for her family. Every day after work, she goes to see him, then returns home with her heart in pieces because she cannot do more for him than she is already doing.
Laura is an example of all the different lives we encounter every day. She is an example of everything behind a smile, behind a long face, behind an outburst, behind a tear.
We are all living through some situation that tests our patience, our love, and our faith. Laura believes she is alone in this struggle. She believes no one cares about her pain. She tries to smile at you, even though inside it is pouring with rain. She suffers and hurts as much as you and I, or more, and she is being strong because it is the only thing she can be. What if, when we go shopping and pass through the checkout, we looked at the name on the badge each Laura wears on her chest and greeted her by name with a smile? What if, in every person we meet each day, we saw that Laura carrying her worries and made her life a little brighter by telling her how good she looks today? What if we helped the Lauras carry their groceries up to their homes after a long day at work? What if we were kind to all those Lauras we meet every day?
Be kind to everyone. You do not know the truth behind that façade, what they are going through, how strong they are being to get up every day and keep living. You can change their day. You can change their life.
For those Lauras you will surely meet along the way, and for the Laura you carry within you, be kind.
“We trust kind people more than beautiful ones.”
Elsa Punset