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Saturday, July 18, 2009

What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what sort of person you are. -- C. S. Lewis.

This is from A Little More Interestings Blog, but definitely relevant.

I received feedback from someone that she felt she would be judged in my store because she had a good body and was pretty. She also judged me harshly for the words I have said about Brian. I don’t take it lightly and apologize if she feels like she would be judged. It was never my intent to make anyone feel judged.

I have been very outspoken on accepting your body as it comes. I have done my best to get through what Brian did to me and my kids.

We do spend a lot of time in here, and more often in Pink Ginger, talking about judgment.

The fact is, while we try our best to accept people for who they are and what they do, we do judge. We are human. I’ve found myself judging people not on their bodies, sex, preferences etc. but on their attitude. I tend to like positive people. I tend to dislike those who treat me or the staff like crap. I find myself feeling sorry for those who pick their bodies apart or make comments about those who are too fat or too thin.

When I feed badly, admittedly, my defenses go up and I do find myself judging. I catch myself and try to identify with them as opposed to judge them. I always keep in mind this quote:

It's not a slam at you when people are rude, it's a slam at the people they've met before. - F. Scott Fitzgerald

I take that quote further. I realize that any glimpse I see of anyone is just a moment in time. I have no idea what life they’ve lead. I can’t judge anyone because I haven’t walked in their shoes.

That all being said, we talk in Pink Ginger about not caring what the world says. We talk about being comfortable in your own skin. We all come in different shapes and sizes and, if we focus on how the world is judging us, we would be consumed.

I am far from perfect. At one time in my life, I did very much care how people viewed me. I don’t anymore. I don’t have time for that and it never puts me in a positive place.

I walk this earth doing the best I can with the tools I’ve been given. (Forgiving myself for not being perfect has been one of my biggest challenges.) If someone feels the need to judge me for my body, for Brian and my relationship, for what I say / don’t say etc., then that’s okay. Everyone is welcome to their opinion. However:

Be assured that if you knew all, you would pardon all.

-- Thomas A. Kempis.

Posted by Sue at 6:31 PM
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