This morning I was reading a Facebook post from one of my blogging acquaintances. She was a little put off because she received some product in the mail and included in the box was a handwritten note from someone on the product’s team. It wasn’t from the person she expected it to be from, it wasn’t on letterhead, it was written in pencil and was rather sloppy. She said it was obvious that someone had written the note and had made some mistakes, so there were lots of eraser marks. She thought this was unprofessional and was not overly impressed. She wanted to know if it would bother any other bloggers.
Since Matthew is currently struggling with his writing skills, my very first reaction was a feeling of sympathy. In the grand scheme of things wasn’t it nice that a note came at all? So many people don’t take the time to even consider the other person on the receiving end of a mailing. I imagine the person that wrote that note. In my mind I see someone working very hard. Maybe harder than their co-workers, because doing normal, everyday things is a bit more difficult for them. The worker wanted to brighten the receiver’s day, or they felt it was just their duty to send a note. I know Matthew often thinks of what is “expected behavior”. He hates writing, but he also knows he has to do it. Maybe this was this person’s duty for the day. They felt it was necessary to complete this task, and so they tried very hard to do just that.
The erase marks means to me that the task was important enough to them to try again, and possibly again. Sometimes details are overwhelming to Matthew, so picking up the first piece of paper he could find, well that would be just fine in his mind. He finds writing arduous so using a pencil would be the easiest writing instrument for him. Yes, I see my son in many people who struggle.
Since having Matthew and discovering just how hard the world is for him, I’ve learned to be a little less judgmental with others. I try to see what they may have weighing them down and just how very hard they work to overcome those dragging obstacles. Not everyone is going to have the same sort of struggles that Matthew has, but everyone is struggling with something. Giving them the benefit of the doubt can often go so far as to change their whole outlook on life. Yes, I see my son in the struggle of others. Every single day.
