Thanks Hannah....

So I had a "day". Well a "night and a day" actually. Some of you might know what I'm talking about...:o) and for those of you who don't, I'm not going to tell you the juicy details, because they really don't matter. I'm writing this though because after a little more drama than I could handle, I was reminded of what really matters.


So after shedding a few tears thoughout the day, I went to Activity Days (a church sponsered activity for girls 8-11). Today the girls were putting on a talent show. First of all, I was so impressed by how brave each girl was by getting up in front of her peers to show something she was capable of. The girls talents were good, but one didn't really stand out as "better" than another, and they were ok with that. One girl balanced books and an apple on her head and walked around the room. A few showed us jump rope tricks. Another sang along to a song from the movie Hercules. And because they were so brave and put themselves out there for everyone to see, it made them that much more amazing to me. The one that hit me the hardest though were the 2 youngest girls of our group, only 8, and only a little older than my son. They both sang the song "Nobody's Perfect" from Hannah Montana. One was a little nervous at first to start singing (they sang without background music), but her friend encouraged her and they started to sing. I, being in my early 30's, can't really say I know much of Hannah Montana, only that my boys sometime sing along to her songs and that my neices adore her. But as I sat and listened to these sweet girls sing this song, the tears started flowing and I was so overcome by how hard we can be on ourselves and others around us. Here are the lyrics:

Everybody makes mistakes
Everybody has those days
Everybody knows what, what I'm talking about
Everybody gets that way

Sometimes I'm in a jam,
I gotta make a plan,
It might be crazy
I do it anyway

The way to know for sure
I figure out a cure
I'm patching up the holes
But then it overflows

If I'm not doin' too well
Why be so hard on myself

Nobody's Perfect!
I gotta work it!
Again and again,
Till I get it right,

Nobody's Perfect!
You live and you learn it!
And if I messed it up sometimes
Nobody's Perfect

Sometimes I work a scheme,
But then it flips on me
Doesn't turn out how I planned,
Gets stuck in quicksand

The problem can be solved,
Once I get involved,
I try to be delicate,
Then crash right into it,

But my intentions are good,
(Yeah, Yeah, Yeah)
Sometimes just misunderstood,
Nobody's Perfect!

I gotta work it!
Again and again
Till I get it right
Nobody's Perfect!

You live and you learn it!
And if I messed it up sometimes
Nobody's Perfect!
I gotta work it!

I know in time I'll find a way
Nobody's Perfect
Sometimes I fix things up,
And they fall apart again,

I know I mix things up,
But I always get it right in the end,
Next time you feel like,
It's just one of those days,

When you just can't seem to win,
When things don't turn out the way you planned,
Figure something else out,
Don't think ahead,
Try again!

This song just summed things up so nicely for me. It really made me realize that we are all here, going through our lives with our trials and experiences. And not one of us is perfect. And that is OK. It also reminded me that we shouldn't judge or think we know what a person is thinking or feeling or "why they did this" or "why they do that". Until we walk a day or more in their shoes, we have no right to judge them in any way. The best we can do is to show love and compassion to everyone around us, even if it's hard.