Same, But Different

Ricky and I took the boys to a ginormous (Elf-ism) playground over the weekend. I've heard it's the largest one in Oklahoma and by the looks of it, I believe the rumor to be true. While I spent the majority of the time chasing Camden around, I managed to "tag" Ricky and we traded. I took Cale to the swings and he took Camden to get a blueberry cheesecake shaved ice. (I have to note at this point, which is completely irrelevant, that in a 3yr old's body, blue shaved ice not only goes in blue, but comes out blue! We're talkin' like playdoh! Disgustingly interesting--interestingly disgusting...not sure.)
Anyway, two grandmas came up and put their little guy in one of the nearby swings. I commented on how big of a boy he was and asked his age. He was just a few months older than Cale. Then they told me I should see his mother and that she was playing around there somewhere. In my effort to be relational, I went on and on about how I had just finished playing too with my older son. Shortly after, they pointed to some swings behind me and said, "Oh look, there she is now." And to my surprise, I realized that when they said she was playing, they really meant playing. She was not at the playground for her son's enjoyment. She was there because she wanted to play herself. After all, it was appropriate for someone her age to do so. My only thought was, "Wow, these two little boys are so similar in their age and size, but their lives couldn't be more different."
Please do not misunderstand me. I haven't said all this to point judgment on this girl or her family or whatever. I just didn't see it coming. That little boy looked like any other child with the typical mother and father in their 20's or 30's spending the afternoon with Grandma. However, that simply wasn't his story.
So here's the lesson learned: you just never know about someone until you really start talking to them. In college, I heard this countless times, "Amy, I thought you were such a snob until I got to know you." The real story was that I was paralizingly insecure and didn't talk to very many people. I was just sure they wouldn't like me! Just as they didn't initially take a chance on me, I didn't take the chance on them! I suggest we drop the whole charade and just start talking to people. Don't wait until they make the first move. They're probably doing the same. And you never know, that "snob" might be more down to earth than you think!