At each of the four major intersection of the highway and the busiest stores, they stand, or sometimes sit, with their cardboard signs. "Homeless and Hungry" I don't judge them. I don't always give them money, either because I don't have any extra cash or because I'm in the wrong lane. Yesterday, I made certain to get in the far left lane so that I could hand the fruit bar, meal bar, and money out to him without holding up traffic. He might not use the money for a good purpose, food/shelter, but that's not for me to judge. (Yes, I know that some panhandlers can make a lot of money in a day, I know that they might spend it on alcohol, but when inspiration hits, you can't ignore it.)
This morning at the grocery store my "carry out" girl told me that she didn't have a lot of money and her boss (the owner of the grocery store) gave her a $200 gift card for Christmas. "GAVE, they just gave it to me." So, she went to Toys R Us and bought her 18 month old daughter $200 worth of toys...and let her open one the other night. What I wanted to say was "no 18 month old child needs $200 worth of toys all in one lump sum...don't you think they expected you to use the money for food or clothes, not just waste it all on toys?!" Of course I didn't. I just commented on what a nice gift her boss gave her and wished a Merry Christmas.
Yep. Judge not. I gave freely without judging and then judged another for the way she had received. It's not my my place to tell someone how to spend their money, but sometimes I wish I could just funnel some common sense into their brains. Until then, I will take deep breaths and continue to learn how to not judge.
I don't think this is his best work, but still a fun song, and who can resist a very young Bob Marley.
3 comments:
Ah yesss... this exercise NEVER gets any easier, for me at least. And while I'm sure that there are easily some people out there are blessed with a more natural tendancy to be much more open, accepting, and less judgmental than most I have a very apparent inability to do this. Just when I feel like I've rounded the corner on my judments of others, pride, arrogance or jealousy will soon take its place filling in the nice gap that the judgement left when I thought I was removing it from the situation or person, etc. I'm still human & try as i might to expell these aweful judgments on others (& myself mind you) it's almost always an uphill battle.
ALl that said though, being in my own pit of despair & outcastedness of late has definately given me the ability to REALLY *REALLY* set aside pretentions, assumptions & cowardice when it comes to TRYING to love & accept myself & others for what we are. It TRULY SUCKS to be judged outright. & then is sucks more when you realize you're doing it just as well as others are doing it to you.
Great Post!!! :D
Exactly, that's why I liked that song for this post, "Judge Not" It says just that..."while you talk about me, someone else is judging you." Yep...
I appreciate your honesty. At least your giving. I'm proud to have you as family.
Love you.
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