I think it is safe to say that everyone you meet IS going through something difficult. You have not and can not walk in everyone's shoes to truly understand what it is they are experiencing. Even if you have some knowledge of what the 'thing' may be and even if you have had a similar experience, you still don't know how that person is processing it. Each one of us deals with stressful situations in very different ways, so be mindful that your empathy has only a small insight into another's pain.
I have read many times, that as men, we feel compelled to be "fixers" so when a problem is identified we feel our duty is to make the situation right again. If we don't know how, or fail in our attempts, that creates a whole other set of stresses. I think it is a bit arrogant that we feel we have the qualifications and skill sets that we should be fixing everything and it was quite a liberation for me to accept that there is in fact more that I don't know than I do know! There are many things I just cannot fix.
Sometimes people just need to talk to air the issue and hear it spoken and shared, rather than actually have a solution provided. There is also comfort in knowing that someone else is aware of your hurts and what is tumbling around in the washing machine of your mind. For all the other people you interact with, that you have no idea of their 'thing', be aware that they too have a load on. You don't know which stage of the process they are in or the magnitude of the load, but be assured they have washing on the go.
This is just another reason to treat others with respect and humility. I know some people are very difficult to love, but they still deserve a level of courtesy in your interactions. Constantly check your attitude (and altitude) when dealing with people.
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