Sat in church yesterday morning and the chap preaching started telling us a story from his days managing a children’s home. This came after a story about the time he and his wife bought a new house so as to accommodate four brothers they’d been asked to foster.

Did you ever listen to someone and find yourself realising that there is so much about them that you really don’t know?

Yeah, that 😉

This gentleman is in his 60s. A fairly quiet, unassuming man. He met his wife when he was older than average. They couldn’t have children of their own so they adopted then fostered. This after she’d already mothered five children with her first husband.

The stories they could tell!

But, other than the occasional gem (like yesterday’s) they generally don’t. I know bits of their story but it’s pretty clear that I’ve barely scratched the surface.

Look around you. Every person you pass on the street has a story.

Reminds me of that Native American proverb:

“Don’t judge a man until you walk a mile in his shoes.”

But more not judging someone, I find it absolutely fascinating to think of all the things that other people have going on and it’s usually impossible to tell.

Get to know someone and the two of you might share stuff with each other but how honest are you really, even with the people who think they know you really well?

And if there’s stuff that you don’t let anyone else in on, the same is almost certainly true for the people around you. Don’t you think?

People are amazing. Every single one, made in her creator’s image.

Makes you pause and think for a moment, doesn’t it?