You Just Never Know

Today I took the kids to the ice rink for Ella's skating lesson. Aha! Another benefit to homeschooling...the rink is empty! No demolition derby of young ones wobbling around on skates. Anyway, I bumped into a mom that I met once before a few weeks ago. She's another military wife who homeschools her two kids. We met the first time when the hubby and I were still debating whether or not to start homeschooling.

The first time we met she mentioned that she homeschooled and assumed that I did too. We were actually in the rink during normal school hours so it was a fair guess. When I told her we were thinking about it but that I was still on the fence, she asked me what was holding me back. As we talked about it, she brought up a few points about homeschooling that I hadn't considered. And coming from another military wife, her words stuck with me and were even a part of the discussions that hubby and I had.

Anyway, when I saw her today I said hello and called her by name. She was floored that I actually remembered her name. I can't help it, I'm good with names. Not good with cars, computers or chaos but names I remember. I didn't put her on the spot and tell her what an impact her words had on me and our decision to homeschool. How's that for pressure from a relative stranger? "Hey, remember a few weeks ago when you said that thing? Well, we totally changed our lives and possibly our children's future and it's all because of you. So if it all goes south and ends in disaster we're going to blame you." Yeah, I decided against that conversation.

But it did get me thinking. We really have no way of knowing the impact our words and our attitudes can have on someone else. If she had been all negative or bummed out about homeschooling, I might have carried that memory into our decision making process and gone another way. I'm not saying we can't be honest when we're having bad days, but you just never know what's going on in another person's head. Maybe someone you meet is on the verge of making a big decision. Maybe that passing conversation is more than just small talk. And maybe, just maybe God has put you in that place at that time for a specific reason.

Hmmmm....