June 12, 2013

perspective

dress: old navy (worn here)

The other day I was walking into Target and walked passed someone who looked at my belly, which seems to be happening more and more these days as it's kind of hard to miss.  

I wondered what this woman thought when she saw me and was reminded how I used to feel when I walked by pregnant woman.  I'd see their bellies and long for that to be me.  I'd think that they had no idea how lucky they were to be pregnant.  They had no idea what a gift it was to be having a baby. That I was trying so hard and going through so much to be pregnant and that I deserved to have a baby.  

It kind of makes me want to wear a sign now that says "I know how lucky I am and want this baby more than anything."

It made me think about what other people's signs may say.  I think of some of my friends who have gone through some incredibly hard times.  I think of how people may treat them differently if they knew what they had been or were going through. 

I think about how there has to be people that I walk passed that just lost a love one, are dealing with health issues, infertility, broken relationships or even just a really terrible day.  

I think of how easy it is to judge others when we walk by them.  To look at things they have or don't have and feel as though you deserve it more or you would handle it differently.  

It was a reminder that I don't know others' stories.  I don't know their brokenness or their hopes.  I don't know what they are dealing with on a daily basis.  I don't know what their sign would say. 

It was a reminder to smile at others.  To remember that everyone is dealing with their own battles.  To treat them with love.  And to be so thankful for the blessings that God has given me. 

Photobucket

53 comments:

  1. That's certainly something to think about. Reminds me of a video going around Facebook that I saw a week or two ago.

    On another note, that dress is adorable! You look great!

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  2. Thanks for the reminder. you look beautiful!

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  3. Love the colors in that dress! The pink looks great on you!! I think of this all the time, especially when I see m&ms having trouble with their kids. Going through the things I do with my son has given me a whole new perspective on these parents.

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  4. That dress looks beautiful on you :) I absolutely love this post. You are so right, Katie. Everything about this post is beautiful and true :) love you. Thanks for the reminder!

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  5. I'm definitely one to subconsciously stare longingly at pregnant bellies! But... now I will try to remember that I don't know what they had to go through to get that belly :-) As many people as are starting to "come out" as infertile, the chances are pretty good that any random pregnant gal I see has had at least some sort of challenge getting there.

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  6. Such a great reminder, thanks for sharing. Love this maxi too!
    Ginny

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  7. This is so true. :( I am ashamed to admit that I am jealous and bitter toward preggo friends unless I know that they have been through hell and back to get pregnant. How awful is that? :/

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  8. you are so right, katie. thank you for this - sometimes a fresh perspective is exactly what God is trying to show us / tell us.

    and you look absolutely amazing - so glowy and radiant.

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  9. First of all, the dress is BEAUTIFUL on you!
    Secondly, I love, love, LOVE your sentiments.
    We all need to be reminded that there is a real deal life going on for each person and we never know just how good, frustrating, scary, etc that it might be.
    Thank you for sharing and reminding!

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  10. So well said Katie! That is why I love you. :) And that dress is amazing!! I love it on you!!!

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  11. so true! i couldn't go to target for a while after my miscarriage. too many pregnant bellies and little babies. but there is something hopeful about seeing life or fulfilled desires in the midst of a tough time.

    also, i am really enjoying watching your belly grow!!!

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  12. I love this! Such an important reminder. Also you are absolutely glowing and just look so happy!

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  13. So true!!

    and look at your growing belly!! You look so beautiful and I love this dress!

    xo,
    Angela

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  14. Aw, what a great outlook my friend!

    Carly
    www.lipglossandcrayons.com

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  15. And you my friend deserve that baby more than anything. You look stunning! So excited for your next couple months!!

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  16. Well said! I think many people (myself included) get so caught up in themselves, that it is easy to forget that everyone else has there own issues.

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  17. Excellent post! It's so easy to get caught up in our daily stress. This was a great reminder that I need to be thankful, positive, and think of others more often. Thanks!

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  18. Yes, yes and yes! What a beautiful post, Katie, well said!
    And that dress is awesome!

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  19. That maxi is gorgeous on you! Very true that other people may be going through a tough time and we may not even know about it.

    -Sharon
    The Tiny Heart
    Scarf Giveaway!

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  20. good point! Earlier this week, I was thinking about the very same thing, we're all fighting our own battles and have our own stuff going on.

    Isn't it crazy how people stare at your belly instead of looking at your face. I will never get used to it.

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  21. You are the cutest! You look gorgeous in that maxi! xx

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  22. Love this...you said it perfectly! And you look gorgeous in that dress :)

    Annie
    The Other Side of Gray

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  23. YAY for being 35 weeks! me too! :) We're getting so close! You look so cute btw!

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  24. I've been working on reminding myself that I don't know what a mile feels like in someone else's shoes... Great post.
    And, that dress is beautiful on you - LOVE that color!

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  25. i love when prego ladies wear maxis! it's soo gorgeous, just like you!!

    xo,
    Sandy
    Sandy a la Mode

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  26. Great post! And you look amazing :)

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  27. Ya know when you buy a new car and then suddenly it feels like everyone is driving that car and its all you see, I feel like when we were trying to get pregnant for so long that all I saw was pregnant ladies. I remember looking at them longingly because they were so lucky. Like you I wish I could wear a sign that says "I know I'm beyond blessed!" Awesome post!

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  28. I love this! I feel so much the same way and I love that you brought up about hinking of what other people's signs would say...I think we too often judge people or think certail things and we have absolutely no idea what they are going through or what they have come from to get to where they are. Great post (:

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  29. Thank you for this, Katie. I needed this reminder today!

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  30. I love this, such a great reminder!

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  31. What a great post! It was so hard for me to get pregnant, and one time a woman looked at my babies and burst into tears, saying, "That's all I want." You never know what's going on in people's lives.

    On a positive note - gorgeous dress! Where was that when I was pregnant?!!

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  32. Katie, this is one of my favorite posts from you! So real and so true. We all lose perspective sometimes, and we are all guilty of passing judgement on others when we in fact don't know their story. Thanks for the reminder. :)

    And you look GORG in that dress.

    xo, Yi-chia
    Always Maylee

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  33. Love this. Its amazing what a simple smile can do :)

    Amazing dress too! I want!

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  34. One of my favorite posts from you....and you are so right, but I never thought about what sign should they be wearing? What are they going through right now? This def made me stop and think today! Loved it!

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  35. Great post! I completely agree. I want my sign to say yes, I know I look uncomfortable but I am really happy for this baby and I pray that you will get pregnant too! There are too many ladies out there who so badly want to be a mom and can't. That has weighed on my mind this entire pregnancy. You look fab in that dress lady!

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  36. Definitely something to think about, and it helps you to be thankful for what you have.

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  37. Great post and definitely a good reminder for us all :) And the dress is absolutely beautiful on you my friend!

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  38. your purposeas, as gorgeous as always!
    hope you like mine too, I stay here! <3

    www.malesclutch.net
    Sergio,

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  39. My dad had this story that if you were in a room with ten people and everyone put their troubles in a brown bag and put the bags in the middle of the room whose bag would you take? He said you would always take your own bag because you never know whats in the other bags.... I never forgot that...

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  40. You are so sweet. I love how you are so thoughtful not only for people you know who are going through things like that, but also for complete strangers who pass by. You are so sweet. :)

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  41. Love this post. So very true. I felt just like you did and this is a great reminder.
    I love that dress on you. Stunning!!

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  42. This is such an amazing post, and it's so true. We never know what others might be going through and should always remember that. You look so beautiful, too!

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  43. katie, that is so lovely. thank you for sharing your thoughts. and what a gorgeous dress! perfect maternity garb! it's bright and vibrant just like you.

    xoxo linds
    my style blog :: Ruby Girl

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  44. Such a wonderful post, Katie. It really is important to be mindful of others', and like you said, just give them a smile.

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  45. What a great post. I really enjoyed reading this. Also you look so lovely, love your dress. The colours are so pretty.

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  46. This is so true! I know I need to remember this more often. So excited for your baby to come! It's so crazy to read a blog long enough to see them get pregnant, BE pregnant, and then have the baby. Time is flying!

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  47. Beautiful - thank you for reminding me that there is a reason we all need grace; this life is not easy sometimes

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  48. There's a saying that's escaping my mind right now but it basically sums up what you said, be kind to people because you don't know what they might be going through at this moment.

    Congrats on the little one! Home stretch now!

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  49. Loved this post, its true we don't know what other people face every day hardships and good times, its hard to read what people hold inside.

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  50. This is so true. We never know what someone else is dealing with.

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