When you encounter someone who is different, difficult, annoying or any number of reasons, do you show kindness and respect or do you make fun of them?
I've read a lot of stories recently where people are being rude to others and no caring how their words sting. Whether its a K-Mart customer service person (https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/woman-outraged-by-kmarts-disgusting-customer-service-response/news-story/ae8a85ee8df3dc82acf33ad62b3dc04c or a group of people commenting how someone on a bike shouldn't be wearing lycra, I'm scratching my head wondering why these people think they have any right to criticize anyone. Where has decorum and common sense gone?
No one, and I mean NO ONE, has the right to judge another person, no matter who they are. Without realizing it, when you speak before thinking, you words injure another and that is not your right.
MR N came up with the theory in the graphic above and I agree 100%. When you encounter a situation or a person, you have a choice: be kind or ignore. I don't mean ignore the person right out of your life. When I say ignore, I'm talking about their faux pas.
Here's an example:
I work with authors and publishers every day as part of my business. As such, there will be times when an author lashes out at me. It could be a less than stellar review or a mistake in their dates for release. I have three choices in this particular situation. I lash out and lose the client forever. I show kindness by putting it on my shoulders and apologizing for whatever it was I didn't do but say I did do. The third option is I can ignore the author's tirade. Most of the time, I apologize and fix what needs fixing. I don't take the author's venting personally because I know he/she is under a lot of stress.
The next time you run across a someone different from you, take my advice to heart. Choose either kindness or letting it go. Leave judgement for reality television like American Idol or The Bachelor.
MRS N