I see you crying in your car after dropping your kids off at day care. I don't know you yet and I regret not tapping on your window. Or maybe it's better I didn't. But I thought about you all morning. I remember those days. I still have them. I remember there were mornings when I dropped my 5 month old off at a fantastic day care and then sat in my car crying. Sometimes it was because it felt like my heart literally was breaking. Sometimes it was because I second guessed my decision to go back to work. Sometimes I was just so exhausted I questioned everything.

I wish I had knocked on your window and said hi. Clearly I had no plan, but I think I'd just ask if you wanted to grab a cup of coffee. Because "are you okay?" would be stupid, right?

I see the parent in the grocery story with 3 kids under 10, just trying to get a few things and struggling to get through the checkout. No one is choosing to get groceries with 3 kids but sometimes that is the only option, right? I see you and I may nod in parental recognition. I also see the parent strolling through Target with a large iced latte like they are on a holiday. Lingering through the home section. I know that look. You are my people. That trip to Target, ALONE, can be a game changer. Ask me if I drive to one 5 minutes further because it has a Starbucks inside.

I see you, just holding it together. It's a juggle, and if we're honest with each other, we all have to juggle. There's a lot of differences that influence the juggle. Single parents, two parents plus a nanny, extended families, night nurses, friends, jobs, careers, partners, expectations, postpartum depression.... we don't know what anyone else has going on but I like to think we're all doing the best we can, so lets be good to each other.