Brighten Your Day

Mom Receives Rude Note On Her Car, Pens Powerful Response About Judging Others

June 2, 2016

Justine Van Den Borne recently fought back when she received a note on the windshield of her car asking, "Did you forget your wheelchair?"

Justine Van Den Borne / Facebook

A bystander saw her walking in a shopping center without any issue and took offense. It ruined Justine's day because here's what that person did not know about her:

"To person that left this on my car last week at Mitcham Shopping Centre - I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was 35. Not just MS but the worst one that never goes away and is slowly crippling my life. My kids have had to deal with things that kids shouldn't ever have to deal with and all of our futures are forever changed. On the day you saw me I was having a good day, I was walking with my daughter unaided having a nice day. Thank you for ruining that. You made me feel like people were looking at me, the exact way I feel when I can't walk properly. I am sick of people like yourself abusing me on my good days for using a facility I am entitled to. A disability doesn't always mean a person has to be wheelchair bound but lucky for you I one day will be. Right now my focus is to walk into my best friends wedding next September and not have to be pushed. I will be 42. Before you ruin another persons day remember you don't know everything and just because you can't see it it doesn't mean a person isn't struggling to put one foot in front of the other."

The post has 59,000 shares and 254,000 likes. It inspired her to share a little more about living with MS.

"I am always fatigued. Fatigued because my body spends its time and energy attacking itself. Raising two small children while doing shift work was easy compared to this battle with my own body.

"And I am in pain," she added. "When you look at me, I am in pain."

Before you judge a stranger, remember that you never know what kind of battle they are fighting.