Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Pappa and his two small great grandsons were having fun playing in the park on a gorgeous afternoon. Kicking around a soccer ball, they soon decided to start a game. Well, a loosely-termed version of the game of soccer. The kind of game that has very few boundaries or rules. Or at least, rules that Pappa and the oldest grandson agreed upon. At his tender age, Pappa’s four-year-old great grandson, the youngest, had little understanding of how the game should be played. Soccer rules were still only a vague concept to him, largely stemming from overheard conversations between his dad and his uncle as they watched soccer games on TV. And what a little boy hears, and what a little boy can actually accomplish, is two drastically different things. Pappa knew this. So being an indulgent Pappa, the older man decided it was okay to simply bend the rules a little – creating a version of the game that his younger great grandson could actually play that day. He failed to take into consideration a few things. First, Oldest had recently started playing soccer on a local little boys’ team, and had a rudimentary understanding of the rules of the game. Two, his older great-grand was a stickler for rules being followed in life – at least any rules that benefited him. Third, that kid had a memory like an elephant. Need I say more? I probably don’t need to embellish any further, but I will. The game went off the rails at the point when Oldest vehemently challenged Pappa on one of the finer points of a rule for playing soccer. Yet Pappa stood firmly by his version, because of the inabilities of Youngest. Oldest began yelling his protests that Pappa was not following the rules. Pappa simply dug his figurative heels in the ground, following through on his recently-discovered personal belief that the guy with the most gray hair gets to change the rules to make the game fair for all involved. And the four-year-old? He quickly wandered off to find entertainment on the swings nearby. Young enough to lose interest when the game was no longer fun, old enough to sense the thick tension in the air, and self-protective enough to vacate the area. Smart kid. How long will this disagreement have an effect on the grandson-granddad relationship? Have no idea. Probably depends on two things. The elephant memory of Oldest, and the forgiving nature - or not, of The One With The Most Gray Hair. A simple example of how life can go haywire in just a few seconds, and ruin a great afternoon in the park. And possibly affect a close relationship for years to come. Like the Bible says; “For those who have ears to hear, let him hear.” And learn.

Dr. Walterine Nelson Copiah-Lincoln Community College has announced the establishment of its new Division of Nursing and Allied Health, a strategic organizational enhancement that reflects the continued growth of the college's healthcare programs and aligns Co-Lin's organizational structure with many colleges and universities where healthcare programs are housed within a specialized division. The new division will house Associate Degree Nursing, LPN-to-RN, Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical Radiologic Technology, Practical Nursing, Emergency Medical Services/Paramedic, and Respiratory Care Technology. Effective July 1, 2026, the new Division of Nursing and Allied Health brings the college's healthcare programs under a unified leadership structure designed to strengthen oversight, enhance collaboration among healthcare disciplines, and further support student success. The new structure also creates opportunities to strengthen partnerships with clinical affiliates and healthcare providers. To lead the new division, Dr. Walterine Nelson has been appointed Dean of Nursing and Allied Health. In this role, she will provide leadership for the college's nursing and allied health programs, overseeing faculty development, accreditation, curriculum, and student success initiatives. Dr. Nelson has served as Co-Lin's Associate Degree Nursing (AND) Director for the last two years and successfully led the program through the accreditation process where Co-Lin received full accreditation from the Mississippi Board of Nursing. "The creation of the Division of Nursing and Allied Health represents an important milestone for Co-Lin," said Co-Lin President Dr. Dewayne Middleton. "Healthcare remains one of the fastest growing and most essential workforce sectors in our state and region. Establishing a dedicated division allows us to strengthen collaboration across our healthcare programs, better serve our students and clinical partners, and position the college for continued growth. Dr. Nelson's experience, vision, and commitment to excellence make her the right person to lead this initiative." A nurse educator and administrator with more than 25 years of experience, Dr. Nelson has held leadership and faculty positions at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Alcorn State University, Southwest Mississippi Community College, Virginia College, and West Coast University. She also serves as an evaluator for Western Governors University, reviewing student assessments and supporting academic quality within the College of Health Professions. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Education and Administration and a Master of Science in Nursing Education from William Carey University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Alcorn State University and is a proud graduate of Copiah-Lincoln Community College, where she earned both her Associate Degree in Nursing and Practical Nursing certificate. Dr. Nelson is an active member of the American Nurses Association and the Mississippi Nurses Association. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her expertise in nursing education, accreditation, curriculum development, faculty leadership, and student success. To learn more about Co-Lin's medical programs, visit www.colin.edu/programs/.

By Jessica Breazeale Wesson native Landon Beasley Landon Beasley left Wesson for the Army and saw more than thirty countries. Now, he's betting on bringing his hometown back to what he remembers it being. Beasley, 38, was born and raised in Wesson. He's an active-duty Major in the Mississippi Army National Guard, a graduate of Mississippi State University and the University of Maryland, and the founder of Southern Grid Properties, a real estate investment company he started in December 2011, right out of college. He's also, by his own account, one of the town's biggest believers. "I want to do something to bring and keep people there," Beasley said. "And the number one thing you’ve got to have is a house." A career in uniform Beasley has about two and a half to three years left before retirement from the National Guard. He is a field artillery officer who spent much of his career in Special Forces. He currently serves as range operations officer, overseeing all ranges and operational training at Camp McCain in Grenada County. Along the way, he said, he has led more than 1,000 soldiers as a commander and deployed four times. Building Wesson, one house at a time Before renovation-property on Hotel Street Beasley bought his first property, storage units and a small apartment, in 2011, and spent the next decade buying land, apartment complexes and single-family homes across the region. About three and a half to four years ago, he made a decision: sell everything outside Wesson city limits and reinvest the proceeds back into his hometown. "That's when I just had the idea of selling everything I had outside of Wesson city proper, and then turn around and invest all that money back into Wesson," he said. "To really just kind of build the community back up to where it used to be when we were growing up…a thriving community where people wanted to move, wanted to live." The town's biggest obstacle, he said, isn't a lack of land. It's a lack of livable housing. "We have property and we have land, and there's houses on it; but they're not livable, or they're run down and not maintained," Beasley said. Southern Grid Properties currently owns about fifteen houses inside Wesson city proper, along with a storage unit complex beside Shop and Wash. The company has no available homes at the moment, but four are under construction. One, a three-bedroom, two-bath house on Hotel Street, is expected to be move-in ready within thirty days. A second is expected to follow in three to four months, with two more targeted for completion within six to eight months. After renovation- property on Hotel Street Rather than the informal, handshake approach to renting he grew up around, Beasley said he built the business with a more structured model. Prospective residents can go to SouthernGridProps.com to pay rent, request information on available properties, join a waiting list and track the town's ongoing projects. Why Wesson Beasley said the decision to come home wasn't complicated, once he looked at it from the outside. "It's coming back to seeing what Wesson was when we were kids — the flea market, Founders Day, people meeting up at the cafe, the old men gathering," he said. "And seeing that kind of slowly start to taper away." He said it would have been easy to settle in Brookhaven, Madison, Brandon or Jackson instead. But Wesson, he said, has industry, a strong attendance center and untapped potential. "I saw Wesson being — I don't want to say decline is the right word — but I saw Wesson, just to go through town, and I was like, I want to do something," he said. Beasley has seen plenty of towns. His favorite hobby is traveling. His other favorite hobby: working. Looking ahead Asked about persistent talk in town that he might run for mayor, Beasley didn't rule it out. "I won't come out and say yes to that," he said, "but I will just say that I'm going to do everything I can to make Wesson better. If making it better is running for mayor, well, I'm going to do what I’ve got to do to make it better." Beasley said he and others are already working to rebuild two of the town's signature events. He said organizers are hoping to grow the flea market back to roughly 200 vendor booths this year, and to reinvigorate Founders Day, both to draw visitors into town, rather than watch them pass through. "I do think we need to be more of a small-town Mayberry," he said. "Let’s make Wesson the Mississippi Mayberry. We have everything we need. We just need to clean it up and do a little bit better." Beasley also pointed to recent frustration among residents over changes such as the discontinuation of Taco Tuesday, and said the town could do more to make public meetings welcoming and accessible. "Those meetings are open. Show up and show out," he said. "Say your opinions." For more information on available properties or to join Southern Grid Properties' waiting list, residents can visit SouthernGridProps.com.

Special to Wesson News Pictured (l to r) are Erika Gemelli, Debbie Brown, Danielle Graham, Alana Lyons, LeAnne Duet, Natasha Lewis, Edna Stevens, Megan Lang, Ruth Case, Katie Hall and Susan Lee. For the third year in a row, dozens of Wesson Attendance Center students walked into the new school year with fresh haircuts, courtesy of local stylists who donated their time and skills free of charge. The event, held August 2 from 2 to 5 p.m. in the school's old gym, drew six stylists who cut hair for fifty children in three hours. “I was just sitting watching TV one day when the idea popped into my head,” said Lewis. “I said [to myself], ‘OK, that was God!’ I need to do this, and I’m not sure where to start. My friend Leanne can make this happen!" LeAnne Duet poses with Bryce Ashley after his haircut. That was three years ago. Lewis called Leanne Duet, the current PTO president, with that idea she had that she wasn't sure how to off the ground. The two, who both attended Wesson schools and went to cosmetology school at Co-Lin, worked together to organize the first event, and it has grown every year since. Duet said volunteers are essential to keeping the event running smoothly. PTO members check children in at the door and help wherever needed, while Beta Club members pitch in and earn community service hours for their work. Duet said the event is about more than haircuts. Natasha Lewis styles M'Kyia Clay's hair. "It's one way to give back to the community," Duet said. "We care about the kids at Wesson. We want them to have a fresh start to the new school year." For Duet, the best part of the day is watching stylists from different shops set aside any sense of competition and work together. "We all do hair, but it's not a competition — it's a community," Duet said. "We can all come together, laugh, joke and have a good time while doing what we love." When asked why she keeps coming back to volunteer year after year, Lewis said, “Because I love kids, I love to give back to the community, and some people really need the help…and that’s were we come in.” Stylist Debbie Brown cuts Zollie Barlow's hair during the event. Organizers said they don't plan to change much about the event going forward. "It actually runs pretty smoothly," Duet said. The free haircut event will return next year, organizers confirmed. Erika Gemelli gives Kameron Wade a haircut.

By Misty Strieff Prine “Remember that just because you hit bottom doesn’t mean you have to stay there.” – Robert Downey, Jr. I want you to do a little exercise. If you were asked today to name one of the darkest moments of your life, what would it be? Looking back on that time, do you see how far you've come? Ok, now think about where you are in your life right now. God is great, isn't He? You see, the darkness is not what you should remember. Instead, you should remember how much stronger those times made you and be thankful that Jesus brought you out of them and to the place you are in your life right now. Sometimes, to truly appreciate where you are in your life, you have to remember where you came from. I've been through some pretty tough stuff in my life and to look back and see how God helped me out of a seemingly hopeless situation, and made me a better person because of it, truly astounds me. God has a way of pulling us out of our brokenness and gently glueing those broken pieces together, only to fill you with His mercy, love and grace which shines through the cracks of those glued together pieces. If you're reading this today and you are currently going through a dark time in your life, just know you have the choice to NOT stay there. You must look deep inside of yourself and pull that faith out that you've buried deep away because of this darkness. Cling to your faith, climb up that rope, and search for the message in this dark period of your life. Then turn that message into a lesson learned and claim victory through Christ who strengthens you and share your testimony with the world. You can do this! There is no depth of darkness that is beyond Christ’s reach. His hand is outstretched and waiting for you to reach out and grab it. Meet Him there. He's ready for you. Are you ready for Him? He is your answer today. Remember this verse from Philippians 4:13, “I can do ALL things through Him who gives me strength.”

A 27-year-old Crystal Springs man was killed Thursday afternoon in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 55 in Copiah County, according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol. The crash occurred at approximately 3:52 p.m. Thursday near the 51-mile marker on Interstate 55 South. Preliminary information from the Mississippi Highway Patrol indicates that Anthony Antoine McKnight Jr. was driving a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee southbound when the vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. McKnight sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the crash has not been released. The Mississippi Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the incident.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB When we last left Peter Parker aka Spider-Man (Tom Holland) back in 2021, he had to submit to a spell from Doctor Strange that would make the world forget he ever existed. His Aunt May (Marissa Tomei) had died, so he had no family left, but he had to watch his friends Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya), go off to college without him, blissfully unaware of what they meant to him. As we rejoin Peter in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” he’s mostly turned himself over to superhero work full-time. There are plenty of dangers around New York City, from minor thugs to supervillains like Scorpion (Michael Mando) to people that just need rescuing. Peter is always happy to swing in and save the day as Spider-Man, but the years of anonymity are taking their toll on the human side of him. Peter has some help. He coordinates with Detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas), as a liaison to the NYPD. A supposedly-benevolent organization called Damage Control, led by Bill Metzger (Tramell Tillman) deals in superhero affairs. Fellow vigilante Frank “The Punisher” Castle (Jon Bernthal) keeps an eye on things, though Peter disagrees with his violent tactics. If he gets really desperate, he can call upon Yelena “Black Widow” Belova, the leader of the New Avengers. Even Bruce “The Incredible Hulk” Banner (Mark Ruffalo) is still in play, wearing a device that prevents him Hulk-ing up, though it can be disabled. But these people are “allies” at best, Peter misses having friends. Eventually a threat presents itself that stumps Peter, his allies, and even his enemies. Somebody is possessing the bodies of whoever they please – often average citizens, though it can be a familiar face if specific deception is required - and wreaking havoc throughout the city. Their ultimate target seems to be Damage Control, which itself may not be on the up-and-up, as if Spider-Man battling the company’s ninja security team in all the film’s advertising wasn’t enough of a giveaway. The person behind the possessions is a shadowy figure, and it’s little secret that Sadie Sink of “Stranger Things” has been cast in a shadowy role, so the real question is, who is this character beyond someone played by Sadie Sink? Peter tries to keep from becoming possessed himself, but his biology betrays him and soon the villain learns that he’s still pining after MJ. He tries saving her impersonally as Spider-Man, but it soon becomes apparent that Peter Parker can’t stay out of her life forever. And this leads to some good conversations about what these characters are, what they’ve been, and what they can and can’t be going forward. It’s some of the best acting I’ve seen from the MCU in a long time. Also, Bernthal with his jaded attitude is everything you could want in a perfectly-cast Punisher. And yet, I’m not recommending “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” It’s an apologetic sort of non-recommendation, as the movie does a lot right, especially with its three(!) carryovers from “The Odyssey.” But for every scene where the movie admirably lets the actors and dialogue breathe, there are too many more that are just dull MCU retreads. Like how Damage Control is just the latest corrupt human organization to think that they can get away with crimes against superpowered individuals. Or how the villain is temporarily stopped the way most MCU villains are stopped in this era. Or how characters like (the new) Black Widow and The Hulk are wedged into the film to remind fans that they’re still a part of this franchise despite the story not needing them. Or, perhaps worst of all, how the film seems preoccupied with setting up more MCU installments down the road than making this installment particularly memorable. Compared to the satisfaction I got from 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” this movie… I won’t say “doesn’t have legs,” but is maybe a few legs short of an arachnid. Grade: C “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is rated PG-13 for sequences of action/violence and some language. Its running time is 145 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Jessica Breazeale Pair of modern dice You know the phrase. Somebody's staring down a decision — a job offer, a first date, whether to say yes to the thing that scares them — and they shrug and say, "Well, I guess I'll just roll the dice." It's a phrase we use for recklessness. For giving up on strategy and letting luck take the wheel. It's the opposite of a plan. I got curious about where that phrase actually comes from, so I went down a rabbit hole. My first guess was that it had to be Old Testament. Something about lots being cast, priests and prophets leaving decisions in God's hands. I figured "roll the dice" was some distant cousin of that. Turns out I was both right and wrong. Dice — actual dice, little cube-shaped objects made of bone and stone — go back further than the Old Testament. Archaeologists have found them in Mesopotamia and Egypt dating back roughly 3,000 years before Christ. Long before Moses, long before Abraham, people were rolling bones to make decisions. Ancient carved bone dice (Egypt / Mesopotamia, ~3000 BCE era) And it turns out that's not even close to the beginning. A 2026 study out of Colorado State University found that Native Americans were making and using dice more than 12,000 years ago — about 6,500 years before dice show up anywhere in the Old World. These weren't cubes like ours; they were flat, two-sided pieces of bone or wood, more like a coin flip than a roll. Archaeologists found them at dozens of sites across the western United States, some dating all the way back to the Ice Age. And they weren't just for gambling — historians believe these games created a kind of neutral ground where different groups could meet, trade, and build trust with one another. So this isn't just an ancient Near Eastern habit that eventually made its way into Scripture. Leaving something to chance — tossing an object and letting it decide — shows up independently, on opposite sides of the world, thousands of years apart, long before any of these cultures could have influenced each other. It's not a regional quirk. It's something close to universal in us. But here's what stopped me in my tracks: the Old Testament is full of this same practice. Over and over, God's people cast lots. They cast lots to divide the Promised Land in Joshua. They cast lots to choose Saul as the first king of Israel. The sailors on Jonah's boat cast lots to figure out who'd brought the storm down on them. Even the disciples cast lots to pick Judas's replacement in Acts. Same basic tool. Same basic action — throw something down, let it land, accept the outcome. But the reason was completely different. When we say "roll the dice" today, we mean something like: I don't know what's going to happen, so I'm going to trust luck and hope for the best. It's a statement about chaos. About chance being in charge. When Israel cast lots, they weren't trusting chance. They were trusting God. Proverbs puts it plainly: "We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall." (Proverbs 16:33, NLT) That's not a verse about luck. That's a verse about sovereignty. The ancient world used the exact same physical action we still use — an object tumbling, landing, deciding something — but they weren't handing the decision over to randomness. They were handing it over to Someone. So here's the bigger picture I keep landing on: we never actually stopped rolling the dice. We just stopped believing anyone was catching them. Every day is full of things we don't control. The traffic light. The diagnosis. Whether the email gets answered. Whether the storm hits your town or the next one over. We are, in a very real sense, always gambling — because we were never actually in the driver's seat to begin with. That was always an illusion, and it's one nearly every human culture, on every continent, has bumped into on its own. The difference isn't whether life is unpredictable. It always has been, for every person in every era, from Egypt to Wesson, Mississippi. The difference is who you believe is standing over the roll. If it's just chance, then uncertainty is something to white-knuckle through — control what you can, brace for the rest, and hope the dice fall your way. But if it's God — if He really is sovereign over the parts of your day you can't touch and the parts you can — then you get to do something the ancient world understood better than we do: let go. Not because you've stopped caring, but because you've remembered Who's actually holding the outcome. That's the whole shift, really. Not "nothing is in my control" as a scary thought — but "nothing is in my control, and that's exactly why I can breathe today." So next time you catch yourself saying, "guess I'll just roll the dice" — maybe let it remind you of something a lot older and a lot steadier than luck. The dice fall. God catches them. That's been true since Joshua, and it's still true this morning. Earth from space (Pale Blue Dot) — the bigger perspective

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com A person lied, absolutely no doubt about it. Carefully thought it out, then purposely and deviously worded their misleading statement to you or a group. Usually, they have a definite motive, and protecting people is rarely their purpose. Usually, their reason is rooted in self-protection or self-promotion. “If I tell the unvarnished truth, I will look like a fool, and I can’t bear that.” Or, “I don’t have to tell the whole ugly truth, it will just hurt others, and I don’t want to do that.” Or most often, “I can’t tell the truth now, I be punished if I do. After all, no one will care about me, only about how it affected them. Self-centered doesn’t even begin to describe their attitude.” Whatever the excuse they conjure up in their mind, it will always have one foundation. To protect their own interests. And it will always seem logical and justified to them – at the time. Afterward, they may realize how badly they misjudged lying, but it is too late. The liar is caught in his own deceit, and has to decide whether to keep constructing more lies to cover the first, or to bravely own it and suffer the consequences. Hard choice for a liar. But back to you. Now, you are caught up in the aftermath, when the lies have been exposed. When the actual repercussions of their lying are affecting your life. At first, when the lie surfaced, you probably felt shock and disbelief, like you had been suddenly slapped violently across the face. Then the second wave of realization begins. You start thinking. Thoughts of just how much the lies have impacted and hurt your own life forever. Are thoughts of a very public figure who has recently been uncovered as a self-promoting, less-than-honest person suddenly crossed your mind? Are you one of the millions who were hurt badly and now are struggling with anger, mixed with grief and depression? If you are, you are not alone in your struggle with how to go on, now that this has been exposed. How to keep walking, living a life that has vibrant purpose, peace and contentment. I can only say this. For your own sake, for your own sanity and emotional stability – deliberately decide to let God handle it. This will not set the liar free. On the contrary. A liar will face the One who has made it abundantly clear that He hates lying. He will punish the liar for hurting and destroying. Believe me, God can accomplish what you can’t. No, leaving it to God won’t free the guilty person, but it will rescue you. It will start a process of recovery from the crushing pain, and will help you a find a way to begin a new future. I beg you, do not allow lies to lock you in a suffocating prison cell of hate, anger and depression. Trying to punish a liar yourself isn’t worth it. Let Almighty God do it for you.

Special to Wesson News (Photo courtesy of Copiah County Sheriff's Office Facebook) A Copiah County Drug Court participant has been sentenced to prison after authorities discovered an indoor and outdoor marijuana growing operation during the execution of a search warrant, according to the Copiah County Sheriff's Office. The Copiah County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant July 23 at 1032 Thornton Lane in Crystal Springs. During the search, investigators located what officials described as a large indoor marijuana growing operation, along with an outdoor marijuana grow on the property. Authorities arrested Michael Whittington and charged him with manufacturing marijuana. He was booked into the Copiah County Jail. According to the sheriff's office, Whittington was participating in the Copiah County Drug Court Program at the time of his arrest. He appeared in court July 27 for Drug Court violations and was sentenced to 10 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Officials said all evidence collected during the investigation has been submitted to the Mississippi State Crime Laboratory for analysis. Once laboratory testing is complete, the manufacturing case will be presented to the Copiah County Grand Jury for further consideration. The sheriff's office also announced that the Copiah County Narcotics Unit has recently prepared more than 30 felony cases that are expected to be presented to the grand jury in the near future. Officials noted that several individuals connected to those cases may not yet be aware charges have been filed. If indictments are returned by the grand jury, those individuals could face arrest. The Copiah County Sheriff's Office encourages anyone with information about illegal drug activity to contact its Narcotics Division.

Special to Wesson News Football season is just around the corner, and excitement is building as the Wesson Cobras prepare to take the field for the 2026 campaign. Following a strong 2025 season, the Cobras enter preseason practice looking to build on last year's success. Coaches and players have begun fall workouts under Mississippi High School Activities Association guidelines as they prepare for another competitive season. Wesson will open the regular season on the road Friday, Aug. 28, against Bogue Chitto before returning home for its home opener Friday, Sept. 4, when the Cobras host North Pike. The early portion of the schedule also includes road contests at Franklin County and Lumberton before Wesson returns home to face Lawrence County. Region play begins Friday, Oct. 2, when the Cobras host Enterprise. District competition continues with a road trip to Loyd Star on Oct. 9 and a home game against Amite County on Oct. 16. The remaining district schedule will determine postseason positioning as Wesson looks to earn another playoff berth. As preseason practices continue throughout August, coaches will evaluate returning veterans and newcomers while installing offensive and defensive schemes ahead of the season opener. Fans can expect another exciting fall under the Friday night lights as the Cobras seek to continue the momentum established during last year's successful campaign. 2026 Wesson Cobras Football Schedule Aug. 28: at Bogue Chitto Sept. 4: vs. North Pike Sept. 11: at Franklin County Sept. 18: at Lumberton Sept. 25: vs. Lawrence County Oct. 2: vs. Enterprise* Oct. 9: at Loyd Star* Oct. 16: vs. Amite County* *District game

By Dr. Raymond Barranco, MSU Professor of Sociology In addition to being a merge-as-soon-as-possible guy, I'm also a return-the-buggy-no-matter-what guy (buggy = shopping cart for my non-Deep South brethren). Such an approach makes it easy to tell how many jerks were at Walmart before me – simply count the uncorralled buggies. That's probably too harsh. I'm willing to knock "jerk" down to "lazy" if they at least left it at the Four Corners – the spot where four parking spaces meet and where buggy placement causes the least amount of inconvenience for people trying to park. Jerk, lazy, rude, inconsiderate – these are my immediate reactions to seeing a free-range buggy. But if I'm being particularly mindful that day, I'll stop and make myself imagine a scenario that would cause someone to leave the buggy where I wouldn't. Maybe they were elderly or injured and needed it for support, so they left it near their car door. Maybe their child was having a full-scale meltdown and they just wanted to get out of Dodge as quickly as possible. Emergency phone call? Medical issue? Family crisis? I'm sure you can imagine others. The interesting thing is that once I imagine those possibilities, my feelings begin to change. I no longer see a rude or inconsiderate person. I see someone dealing with circumstances I know nothing about. Such moments never cease to amaze me. They make me realize that I don't necessarily have a problem with WHAT someone does – it’s more about WHY they did it. I suspect many other people are exactly the same way. The problem is that we rarely know why someone does anything. We only know what they did. So, we fill in the blanks ourselves. Unfortunately, we often fill them in with the least charitable explanation possible. That's usually not how we treat our own behavior. When we're the ones doing something others might shake their heads at, we have reasons. We were running late. We didn't feel well. We were distracted. It was raining. We had a bad day. We were dealing with something nobody else could see. I'm not saying those explanations are wrong. In fact, they may be perfectly valid. What I'm saying is that the people whose behavior we are judging would probably offer explanations of their own. The funny thing is that we already know this. Most of us don't want to be judged by our worst moment. We want people to understand the circumstances. We want them to know the context. We want them to realize that one action does not tell our whole story. Yet we often deny other people the same courtesy. So what are we supposed to do? Hunt down the person who abandoned the buggy and demand an explanation? Catch up to the driver who cut us off and ask what's going on in their life? No – please don't do that. What we can do is make a conscious effort to give people the benefit of the doubt. We can remind ourselves that there is usually more to the story than we can see. Does that mean everyone is a good person who always has a good reason for doing what they do? Of course not. Some people really are careless, and some excuses really don't hold up. Giving someone the benefit of the doubt is a starting assumption, not a guarantee – and it costs us nothing to extend it first. But I don't think carelessness describes most people. Most are simply trying to navigate life the best they can, just like the rest of us. So, the next time you spot a buggy abandoned in the middle of a parking space or get cut off by someone who didn't bother to signal, try running the experiment I run. Imagine the version of their day that would make their behavior make sense. You may be wrong. But you'll probably be a little less angry, a little less judgmental, and a little more human for having tried. Dr. Raymond Barranco is a sociology professor in Mississippi whose writing focuses on public life, compassion, fairness, and how people think across differences. He can be reached at rbarranco@soc.msstate.edu.