Thursday, September 13, 2012

happy promptings
























{baby me, circa 1983}

i had an experience today,
as i was sitting in the doctors office waiting room,
that really reminded me how human we all are.

and by that, i mean,
everyone, no matter how they may seem or act,
or what choices they make,
or how they portray themselves or percieve the world around them,

is a person,
with feelings.

a person with expiriences.
and a set of circumstances and past defining moments
that have made them who they are
& have shaped their belief system.

this reminder brought feelings of times
i have certainly felt judged for my life choices & beliefs...
times i have felt belittled and betrayed...hurt and mistreated. 
times when i felt completely misunderstood/misrepresented.
times i felt out of control and disappointed.

it also brought memories of times i have wronged and hurt others.
times i have let pride get in the way of people.
times i have let fear rule my love & faith. 
experiences where i totally didn't handle things right,
simply because: i am human.

we are all human.

and i think, for the most part,
we all do the best we can with what we've got.

we, as humans, tend to put each other inside boxes to protect ourselves.
and sometimes it's to protect ourselves from things the other person doesn't even know exsists.

i don't believe the person who says they don't judge anyone.
you do. we all do.
we are human.
 
we all have stuff.

my struggle is different than yours.
maybe my struggle conflicts with yours.
maybe you don't know about my struggle, and i don't know about yours.

i'm grateful for that prompting today,
during a quiet moment of peace in the doctor's office,
that encouraged compassion in the face of confusion,
love in the face of conflict,
and charity, being, the pure love of christ. 

i can preach all this & tell you with confidence-
that i definitely do not & will not always succeed at remembering this advice.

but i promise to "demand of myself improvement" &
try to break down boxes that i have built around people -

and seek to love and build
the best i can, with what i have.