Just for informational purposes, Diet Coke is not my drink of choice. Give me Dr. Pepper or Cherry Pepsi. Except that I quit drinking pop three years ago, and accidentally started again earlier this year (after the aforementioned vacation) so really, give me nothing because I need to quit!
But on that day, those Diet Cokes looked so adequately chilled that I couldn't resist.
As I was drinking the Diet Coke, Zoe was trying to pry it from my hands. She wanted that Diet Coke something fierce, and I wouldn't let her have it. After fighting her off over and over, I finally chugged it down and put some water in the can for her.
She sat on a beach chair sipping happily from her Diet Coke can. It was everything she'd ever dreamed of!*
As I watched her downing that water, I momentarily assessed the situation as it would appear to others: a young mother sitting on the beach, allowing her toddler to chug a Diet Coke. I laughed to myself and thought, "Judge away, folks! I know the real story!"
Since that day I have frequently reflected back on the water in the Diet Coke can, realizing how easy it is for us to look at one another and form assumptions based on what we see even though there is an underlying truth we aren't aware of.
I am guilty of it.
So very guilty.
And I have also been victim to it.
So in an effort to be a kinder, better person (an ongoing battle), I am trying to make less assumptions about what other people have in their Diet Coke cans.
*I should mention that this is the only time that worked. Kids can only be fooled so many times. She'd never fall for that now.
I did see a family give their older infant actual soda in a baby bottle a couple weeks ago. I judged. I shouldn't but I did. I just can't think of any logical reason for it or way to explain it.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE love love this. Really so much. It's so very true. I also love that you laughed and thought to yourself, "judge away, folks! I know the real story!" Because As much as we need to be kinder to others and not judge their coke cans, I also feel like we need to be better at laughing it off when others misjudge our own cans. At least for me, I can care a little too much about what someone may be judging me about, and I am committing to do myself a favor right now by absolutely remembering this part of your lesson and tell myself more often, "judge away, folks! I know the real story!"
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