developing empathy

as i suffered with heartburn for an hour last night, i reflected on the ailments that accompany pregnancy.

now, i have to say i have had a wonderful pregnancy compared to many women. and i am very grateful for that blessing. but even with a good pregnancy, you experience the occasional heartburn, crankiness, hunger pains, hiccups, difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, going to the bathroom often.

and all these things, i realized, are helping me develop empathy for everything our new little girl will experience. when she's hiccuping or crying with indigestion issues, i can say, "yes, little girl, i know what you're feeling. i just went through the same thing."

and i know baby girl will appreciate that i've learned to be a little more patient, a little more empathetic.