My new friend Maureen Rank of Kansas City, had a friend visit her from South Africa recently. Maureen had befriended the beautiful woman while speaking at a Women's Leaderdship dealing with the AIDS crisis.

This was her friend's first time in America.

As Maureen took her shopping at the local Target, her friend commented on how small the clothes were on the endcap display.

"Those must be for very small children" she remarked. Maureen turned her attention to the display and sheepishly explained that those were outfits for dogs.

Her friend, thought for a moment and softly said "in America you buy clothing for your animals. In my country, mothers cannot buy clothes for their children."

Maureen said that exchange left her embarrassed and yet deeply grateful for the gift of perspective her South African friend gave her.

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