The news this week has been occupied (perhaps obsessed!) with a high-profile interview. I’d made my mind up about the main protagonists already but thought I’d tune in to the ‘big scoop’ to see what they had to say.
That was a sobering experience which left me feeling slightly uncomfortable about my ‘knee-jerk’ judgement of the situation based upon media reporting and public opinion.
This seems to be the way society operates. Through media and social media we’re quick to share opinions on who’s right and wrong; he said, she said; you’ll never believe what they did.
“Our worst fault is our preoccupation with the faults of others”
Kahlil Gibran
We all have our own story or version of events and perhaps the truth is often somewhere in the middle of two opposing viewpoints. But the reality is, we don’t know how people feel or how life circumstances have impacted upon them and perhaps it’s not our place to pass judgement.
So, be kind. Cut people a little slack. They could be having a hard time or a bad few days.
Private thoughts are one thing but maybe pause before you judge, publish or hit share.
You’re not seeing things through their eyes and may well be adding to the stress someone is suffering and impacting on their mental wellbeing.
Just walk a mile in his moccasins before you abuse, criticise and accuse
‘ Judge Softly’, Mary T Lathrap (1895)
