Who knew that Wal Mart was in the business of giving free parenting advice?? I know I didn't. I went in to buy a carseat and was chastized by a customer service associate for putting my child in harms way. All because I wanted to purchase a display model carseat rather than on in a box. Well, lets look past the fact that I have been going to the WM for about four weeks trying to buy this exact model which I now learn is being discontinued mainly for cloth pattern rather than safety. Anyway, the associate tells me that it is illegal for him to sell me a floor model, and didn't I realize that those laws were, " in place for the safety of my child." The latter is an exact quote. Now, I won't mention the general apperance of said associate, but I find it hard to believe that he would be in a position to give me parenting advice. In the deepest regions of my heart I want to scream and rant and complain about how he didn't know anything about me or my child. I don't think that it ever would have occour to this man that I had suffered a great deal in order to give birth to the child for whom the purchase was for. I doubt that he could have ever know that I longed for this baby, and have been attentive to his every need since before he was born. I think that it would have been hard for this man to feel the love that I have for not just this baby, but my older son as well. I think that the love you feel for your children is intense, and as close to God-like love you will ever feel. I don't believe for one minute that this man would ever know how I sobbed the first night that my baby slept in his own room, or how I thank God for every moment that I exsist in the presence of my children.
So, in response to his criticism I didn't the one thing that my father impressed upon me-tell a manager. Needless to say I was so angry for the feelings that I was having that I cired, oh yeah! I cried, like a little preschool girl. I couldn't beleive myself. All that anger, and I was crying!!! Once, I got in my car I started to think who was this guy to judge me? Then the progression of my thoughts led me to judge him, I began in my mind to think very critically of him. I was shocked at myself. I mean I am nearly 28 and I am playing an adult version of name calling. I wanted to scream, "sticks and stones...." but instead I remembered a talk from Elder Bednar in the last General Conference. He spoke very directly and with conviction that there is no offense unless we make it one. I started to think of others reasons for this mans comments and I began to see him not as a hideous being, but rather just another guy trying to provide for his family, and doing his job as he was instructed. All that hurt that I felt, and disrespect literally dissolved. How nice would this world be if everyone took five seconds to put themselves in anothers place. I doubt that there would be a conflict among us. I know that I wouldn't have to worry about my brother serving in the armed forces being killed by militants, because war wouldn't exsist and militant would probably be slang for "cool", or "hot guy", or something less dangerous. I would challenge all of us to stop when offended, and try to think from the others perspective.
I want to end with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, " understanding is a two way street."
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Mindy, this is one of my recent new phrases, " I don't listen to stupidheads". Now I am not a name calling kind of woman but when someone who comes along who has no clue about me and offers me advice obviouly foolish sounding on my life, that's a stupidhead and I don't listen. You shouldn't either. You are as perfect a mother as there is!!!
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