Always treat others with kindness...

No matter what people say about you, to your face or behind your back, treat them with kindness. I can't emphasize this enough. Because of our condition, people will oftentimes say really mean things about us. They don't understand what's going on with us, and how could they?

A lot of us don't understand why we smell the way we do, especially when we practice judicious hygiene. I can't blame people for complaining about the way I smell; it's a natural and normal reaction, to find certain odors objectionable.

However, it's always a choice in terms how of people treat us. Some people just don't care and won't hesitate to speak their minds, even though their words are really hurtful. I still smell of ammonia (maybe not as bad) but I will occasionally encounter rude people; like last week during my check-out at a grocery store.

The grocery store encounter made me feel really bad about myself as a person. I'm not angry with the cashier or her assistant. It's not their fault. They're just responding to what they consider an objectionable odor. Little do they know, how people like us struggle every single day just to get through school, work, and other obligations.

That's why I say, treat others with kindness. If anything at all, the only thing they can say about us is that we smell, but we were kind, with a good personality and a good attitude.