Grace.

Most of us have experienced hard times in our lives. I can look back over my life and remember the dark days that I struggled to get through.

None of us are immune to the trials of life. Regardless of who you are or where you are in society, we are all just one or two poor decisions away from drastically different circumstances.

Sometimes the cards a person is dealt are set up to win before they were even born.

But what about the person who has the cards stacked against them?

We are not all given the same chances in life. There are generations of families that have not been able to break the cycle of poverty and destitution. With poverty comes despair. And with despair, there are endless dire outcomes.

Some of us have family to lean on, maybe a few lifelong friendships that help us out from time to time. But what about the mom who has no support with two small kids and just lost her job? She does not want to be here. This is not what she dreamed about when she was a little girl. So why does society look down on her? Why do we judge her?

The truth is most of us are just a paycheck away from being her.

I would have been homeless if it weren’t for my family’s support when I couldn’t make it on my own. Now, I am a college graduate, married with beautiful children and a career. But if my circumstances were different, does that mean I don’t deserve a chance?

What about the parent that loves their child beyond measure but made a bad decision while dealing with depression? Or the dad who just lost his job and is so stressed out about paying bills that he turned to drugs again? These parents do not need our judgement or for us to berate or criticize them. These parents need our willingness to understand.

They need our grace.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that we are all just flesh and bones. We are all humans with a beating heart that wants to be loved. So today, instead of making a judgement on a person’s situation that we haven’t lived, let’s see if there is something we can do to help them.

It costs nothing to be kind and understanding. It takes no effort at all to smile and be a bright spot in someone’s day. But whatever you do, please remember that we are all trying to figure out our place in this world, and your grace might just be enough to help someone find theirs.

Cia Lackey

Culture & Retention Builder

4 Sisters Solutions, Inc.