Quote Originally Posted by Cataholic View Post
I don't think having a child, having a dog, not having either, or having one but not the other is that which sets one person's opinion apart- or more 'valid'- than someone elses.
thank you - I suppose I use my "i don't have kids excuse" as a vice but its been thrown in my face so much that I usually say it first anymore. Similiar to my best friend/cousin going thru her parents divorce when I tried to be understanding she said -"you don't know- you're parents are still together"
I had a patient say something to me a few months ago that I appreciated more than she could ever imagine. She had just been in a car accident with her teenage daughter. She didn't care about herself, she was trying to get her daughter out of the car. She said "do you have children?" I said my standard "no so I can only imagine how scary it would be and how hard you would try to get her out" she said "well it would be like wanting to get anyone you care about out of the car. Your parents, or sister or brother." No one before when they say - do you have kids and I say no - they blow off my opinion. She was the first person that ever took into account that I cared about other people and would want to keep them safe as well.