Being a perfect mom, loving wife and managing to run a functioning home whilst simultaneously contributing to society is no easy feat.

Add that to being a mother of several children, and peace and quiet are rarely words that can be used in the same sentence when describing daily life.

One woman who knows this all too well is Hailey. For her, each day presents a new puzzle, and the smallest obstacles can have the biggest consequences.

One day, Hailey was on her way to work when she got stuck behind a very slow-moving car. It took all of her restraint not to lose her temper behind the wheel.

After all, Hailey was in a hurry, and didn’t have time to sit idly behind a car that was going below the recommended speed for the road.

I posted this picture on my personal page earlier this week, and it got me thinking.A picture is just a small square…

It wasn’t until Hailey got stuck behind said car at a red light that she noticed the note in the back window.

After reading the words, she felt she had to share her experience on her blog, Thoughts, Dots and Tots. Hailey says it changed her way of looking at the world.

Here’s what she wrote:

“As I was pulling into work, I was following this car. The sign in the back window says, “Learning stick sorry for any delay.”

“Knowing this information, I was very patient with their slow shifting, and honestly they were doing pretty well for still learning. 

“Then I asked myself a tough question: Would I have been just as patient if the sign hadn’t been there? I can almost definitely say no.

“We don’t know what someone is going through. We don’t wear signs that illustrate our personal struggles. You don’t see signs taped to people’s shirts that say, “Going through a divorce”, or “Lost a child”, or “Feeling depressed”, or “Diagnosed with cancer”.

“If we could read visually what those around us are going through we would definitely be nicer. 

“But we shouldn’t have to see signs and have reasons to treat strangers with kindness. We should do it anyway, whether we know what is going on or not. Whether they deserve it or not.

“Let’s give everyone an extra dose of patience, kindness, and love.”

The handwritten note in the window clearly left a lasting impact on Hailey. She could easily have remained frustrated and annoyed behind the wheel, but instead she took a deep breath and chose the route of tolerance.

As I was pulling into work, I was following this car. The sign in the back window says, “Learning stick sorry for any…

We should all try to think a little more like Hailey (myself included). 

How many times have we been annoyed by the fact that the bus isn’t on time, or that someone is rude or short when talking to you, or that someone is late for a meeting?

And to what end? To no end; getting angry doesn’t benefit anyone. Why not treat them with compassion and kindness instead?