Most people know not to comment on the behavior of strangers in public. Every once in a while, though, you may have an unpleasant encounter with someone who feels the need to tell you exactly what they think of you. Kelly Dirkes had this experience recently in a Target, but instead of reacting angrily like most people would be tempted to do, she wrote a beautiful and emotional Facebook post explaining her side of the story.
When Kelly walked through the aisles at Target holding her baby, a stranger rudely informed her that she would “spoil that baby” if she held the baby constantly. She begins the post with: “Dear Woman at Target, I’ve heard it before, you know. That I ‘spoil that baby.’ You were convinced that she’d never learn to be ‘independent.'”
Kelly goes on to reveal that she had adopted her daughter after her daughter spent ten months alone in an orphanage. She writes, “If only you knew how she spent the first ten months of her life utterly alone inside a sterile metal crib… If only you knew that she would lay in her crib after waking and never cry- because up until now, no one would respond… If only you knew that anxiety was a standard part of her day.”
Throughout the post, Kelly explains that when she was first united with her baby, her daughter had never received love and was dealing with trauma. Convincing her daughter that she was safe and secure was an uphill battle. Now, the baby wants to be picked up, taken out of the crib, and given attention. Kelly holds onto her baby as much as possible, because it reminds the baby that she’s loved.
Kelly ends the post by writing, “Spoiling that baby is the most important job I will ever have, and it is a privilege.” Her words are an excellent reminder that you can never know someone’s situation just by looking at them, and you can never judge a stranger’s behavior when you don’t know the whole story.
Her piece is also a beautiful example of the love mothers have for their children. It’s clear from the post that Kelly’s love for her baby is stronger than anything, and it helped her baby overcome trauma, stress, and anxiety.
Love What Matters, a popular Facebook page that shares touching stories of the love between families, picked up the story. Kelly’s post now has almost 20,000 shares and many comments from parents showing their support and sharing similar stories.
