Early morning thoughts

Early in the morning I go for a nice long walk.  I usually have a walking buddy, but she hurt her ankle and is out for awhile, so I'm on my own.  This morning as I was walking my mind was going way too much, and as I passed numerous people I began to think - I wonder what it would be like if people had a little sign on their forehead that said things like "cancer patient", "parent of a troubled teenager", "unemployed", "depressed".  Things that people don't always know about us, but that we may be suffering from at the moment.  There are things that we go through in life that everyone seems to know, like when a family member passes away.  Things that are hard, but everyone rallies around you to help you get through it all.  Then there are the things that you go through that no one knows about.  Things that you don't really want to tell people because you don't know what their reaction will be, you are embarrassed by it, or you just don't want to listen to all of the advice they will give you. And yet, though you don't really want the world to know, or don't know how to tell them, you still need the support and love.  Would we treat each other differently if we knew what they were suffering from, would we be a little more compassionate, a little more understanding, would we put our arms around our friends a little more if we knew what kind of day they are really having?  Maybe we would if we knew, and yet maybe we should just put our arms around each other anyway, just in case.  I mean, we never do know what someone else is going through.