What do you think when you see a beautiful young woman walk by you in, let's say a shopping center after you have had a hard day at work and feel that the world is out to get you?
She almost runs into you as she pushes her way past the busy shoppers. She should watch where she is going. Probably to meet her young executive boyfriend who is waiting to take her out for a romantic dinner at some fancy restaurant. Her hair is long and healthy looking and she walks with self confidence. Her clothes fit her well and you notice her perfect tote bag slung across her shoulders. Your admiration turns to a touch of jealousy and you think, yes well she isn't living your life. You would look better if you did not have to get up every morning at 5:30 to go to work. If you had the money you would buy nice clothes as well and go to have your hair done.
She disappears into the crowd. You walk by a cosmetic counter and the sales lady seems to be able to read your mind. She offers you a free makeover with no strings attached. You hesitate because you cannot afford such a luxury and you are also in your usual hurry to get home to make the kids supper and get the laundry done before you can even think of sitting down for an hour before bed, which is probably not going to happen.
Feeling frustrated you sit down in front of the counter and force yourself to forget about your obligations and what everyone else wants. The sales lady asks you to close your eyes and says that someone will be with you in a minute. You mind drifts off feeling the excitement and sensation of being pampered.
" Hi my name is Jenny and I have a few questions to ask you before we begin."
You open your eyes and are shocked to see that the lady standing in front of you is the beautiful woman that you had just seen walking through the store. You feel shame and want to get up and leave. She is wearing a white uniform and her hair is tied back into a ponytail. She is still very beautiful but she isn't who you thought she was... she is just an employee here at the store.
You answer all her questions because she says that she wants to know what your expectations are for a makeover. By the time she is finished, you can see that she has given you much more than a new look. Yes she put on just the right amount of eye liner, blush and lipstick and you are pleased with the woman looking back at you in the mirror. You buy the introductory kit and look her in the eyes and thank her for giving you a makeover of the heart.
While working on your face you learned that this young woman had two jobs. Every morning, she takes her daughter to a special school for autism then goes to work at a MacDonald's from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. When she's finished her shift there, she starts work at this cosmetic counter from 3 until 7:00 p.m. Her mother moved to the city to live with her and help care of the infant. She found a job as well and picks up her granddaughter after her work day is done and takes her home . Together they are raising a small child with special needs. The father of the child left Jenny when the baby was only 6 months old and it was then that her mother moved in to help her care for little Ellie.
No she did not have anyone waiting to take her out to a fancy meal. Her life was all about being able to afford to send her daughter to a facility that had a reputation for helping special need children overcome their limitations.
Walking into your house you realize that you wrongly judged someone because of their looks so that you could feel better about your own lack of self confidence. You remember your mother's wise words, " Don't judge a book by its cover because you never really know what is going on in another person's seemingly perfect life."