In a small way, I feel like I understand Britney Spears. Okay, before you slap the crazy stick on me, hear me out.

It isn’t easy being a mother under normal circumstances. We have to be everything to everyone. We love our role in life but at the end of the day we are just plain exhausted and no amount of caffeine can rejuvenate us. We are under the microscope of our own mothers and those who have come before us. We hear helpful child raising tips that sometimes go in one ear and out the other. I think all women crave to do this on their own. We are all territorial to a point and would have no one else fill our shoes for us. As spent as we are, we enjoy it. (oh just admit it, you love it!)

Now, imagine being extremely famous (okay a stretch for most of us I know… ) and having the camera mark your every move. The cameras that follow you, know where you eat, sleep and even sometimes know when you pass gas. They catch your best moments (perfect hair, makeup and posture) and your worst moments (hair thrown up in a bun, no makeup and you are wearing…egads!… sweatpants!).

Finally, imagine being Britney Spears. You are being scrutinized for everything… from your clothes, to your weight, your love life and even your parenting. You have reporters asking you all kinds of personal and private questions from every angle. You like entertaining and feel that the artistic part of you should be and is always open to the public. On the other hand, your private life should remain private. When it isn’t…. well maybe you start to resent the limelight you’ve always grown up in and that throws you in a tailspin of rebellion.

When Britney lost custody of her sons, I cannot imagine that it was a happy day for her. Her behavior has been erratic, I agree. However, do any of you wonder if there is a deeper problem plaguing her? I had heard recently that she is being diagnosed or was being diagnosed with Bi-polar disorder. I hope that she gets the help she needs and regains custody of her sons. I can also see her battling PPD at the same time. Imagine doing that in the face of all of the cameras and America!

I guess what I am trying to say (and used Britney as an example) is that sometimes, we need to put ourselves in the shoes of others before immediately throwing stones. I agree that we need to have bold lines between right and wrong but I also think we need to have empathy, compassion and understanding toward our fellow man. Once we lose the empathy and compassion, how can we define what is right and what is wrong if we have lost part of the very foundation that makes us humans? Flesh is weak but our spirits are able to guide us with our conscience. This is the same spirit that allows us to love deeply. Christ had that spirit. It poured out of him.

Just something to think about on a Monday night…