Guest blog post from Karen’s mom Pat Cain (Brian’s mom-in-law) of Corydon, Indiana.
My daughter Karen called me the other day just as I walked into a department store. I do not do well with talking on my cell phone while doing other things. This is how you can tell I am old. Multi-tasking is not in my vocabulary, so I ask her to call me back later in the afternoon. When I passed by the children’s department I noticed they were having a great sale.
The frugality in me couldn’t pass this up since her youngest daughter Emery has a birthday next month. I decided I should call her back to ensure I had the right size. My daughter informed me to buy a size 4T. Emery will only be 2yrs old on her upcoming birthday, so I couldn’t believe she was going to be big enough to wear a size 4T. Karen and her family had just visited our home 2 weeks prior and while Emery is big for her age, I couldn’t imagine she was that big.
Maybe, I am losing my vision in this old age thing too. Karen should know what size her daughter wore, so I put the 2T’s that were already in my cart, back and purchased the 4T’s. Karen called me later that day. I told her I got Emery some cute outfits but the 4T’s looked awfully big. My daughter replied, “Mom I told you she wore a 2T.”
Now … I am certain I heard her right, otherwise I wouldn’t have exchanged them but she wouldn’t admit it. I know I can’t be losing my hearing and my mind too with this old age thing.
Later that evening I thought about our conversation and how it applies to our life in general. How many times do we misinterpret what someone says and it causes hurt or hard feelings? Maybe those misinterpreted words could even mark the end of a friendship.
When those situations arise and we find ourselves hurt by words, maybe we should face it straight on and ask again what they meant. Community with others is the one thing in this world that keeps us thriving. Isolation from others in our lives is the start down the road of much loneliness and heartache. Don’t allow it to happen.
And remember, it goes both ways. You never know when the words you use could cause hurt. Always give the benefit of the doubt to those you have relationships with. I’m going to work on that … but in the meantime I still think she told me a size 4T.
It all started while we were on vacation in the Florida Keys a few months back. The house we stayed at had a multitude of coconut trees. Resting in my pool chair, it seemed as if the coconuts were taunting me saying “you can’t climb up this tree and pick me.” 
OK, Karen 