You ever have one of those really horrific days, when everything seems to be going wrong and your kid isn't cooperating and you're running late and you don't look (or mort importantly feel) particularly attractive? Yeah, that's what my day looked like when I was forced to survive bumping into the ex that broke my heart, with my kid in tow. Like any person who has ever been romantically slighted, I had envisioned our first "run-in" to be very, very different. Then, after I met my now-partner and had our son, I didn't think about running into my ex at all. Of course, the moment you stop thinking about something (or someone) is the moment that something (or someone) ends up barging into your life.
So, there I was, exhausted and disheveled with my kid in my arms, face-to-face with the guy that broke my heart years prior. Thankfully, what I thought would be awkward and uncomfortable and somewhat difficult to get through, was painless and carefree and a reminder that, yes, things do happen for a reason (as annoying as that saying really and truly is). It also reminded me that while my son is very important to me and motherhood has changed me, my past still plays a pivotal role in who I am as a woman, a person, a friend, a lover and a mother. I'm sure people would be quick to say, "You're a mom now, so who cares?" Well, I did. I do. Some people get under your skin and stay there, and one day my son will hear about some of my past relationships and past heartbreaks because, of course, he will experience his own, too. I want to set a good example — no matter how old he is — when it comes to recovering from heartbreak and running into the people that contributed to it.
That day was also proof-positive that my son makes me a better person. I could have been immature and resentful and I could have been combative and rude, but my son gave me a million reasons not to be any of those things. From setting a good example to simply giving me some perspective to just realizing there are far too many, more important things to worry about; your kid might end up being the perfect person to have with you when you run into that one ex you never thought you'd be able to stand talking to again. So, with that in mind, if you find yourself with your kid in your arms and your ex in front of you, here are just a few ways to survive the entire situation, unscathed and thankful: