Whenever I am at the mall I like to people watch. With a packed house it was especially interesting this past Black Friday. As I was standing around at the entrance to JC Penney’s waiting for the girls, a family of three caught my eye. The husband and wife appeared to be engaged in an argument. As they drew nearer I could see that the man was sternly lecturing his wife. She seemed to be doing her best to keep up appearances. Most telling was their young boy–maybe five or six years old–who was clinging protectively to his mother.

It reminded me of the times I have gotten into a fight with my wife, only to see my son do something strange like hide. If only we could see how our actions affect those around us, not from our own hardened perspective, but from the outside looking in.