You: judge. Me: not having it

One outcome of taking the Road Less Traveled, is judgement.

I've written about judgement before and about what those judgements weigh but what I haven't delved into is from whence those judgements might emanate: who the judgers might be. At the time of writing "What judgement weighs", my thinking was that judgement would primarily come from without: from outside the fold, from people who had no clue and could therefore be (easily?) dismissed. Judgements from within the fold were to be expected but rarer because, presumably, folks with first hand knowledge of what was taking place would try a little harder to understand, if not agree with, the choices being made.

As it turns out, I was right and wrong - this seems to happen with alarming frequency. Sometimes, judgement comes from within the fold, from people who know just enough to be dangerous, or from people who know only what you've told them so far, but haven't the capacity to empathize. [This begins to explain the narrowing of my circle somewhat, and the continued posting of my innermost thoughts to a blog for the consumption of readers, some known, most unknown.]

I just had such an episode. My friend didn't intend to pass judgement, I assume. My friend didn't intend to suggest that my thinking was flawed and doomed to failure, I assume but both occurred. What irked more than the judgements themselves, was the temerity of the speaker to offer them in the first place. What disquieted me further, was that the doubts expressed mimicked my own. Hey, thanks for the vote of confidence, eh!

Get on the road with me, friend, this road with no pavement, no sidewalk, no street lights or signs; this road with heavy traffic but no rules; this road that runs to infinity and beyond. Get on this road with me; walk a mile or two with me, not in my moccasins but in your own, and then (and only then) judge me, not a moment before.




Copyright © December 2011 L.S. Semper