Me, pass judgment?!
Sometimes lessons in life come around the corner, out of the blue and hit like lightening. I love that. I love it when I’m livin’ my life, feeling obtuse or obstinate about something and then the grace of clarity shines down upon me to wake me up.
Yesterday, I was told about something that I did not approve of. I had to be professional about a situation I considered unethical. I just smiled, kept it to myself and moved on with my day. A few hours later, I was enjoying one of the best hours of my week, teaching Catholic religion class for a group of 4th graders at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. We talked about sin, and conscience. We talked about accepting others, no matter a person’s lifestyle, race, religion or any other difference. These bright, sweet, kids fill me each week with their pure spirits and desire to be good. Good and bad decisions at this age have much fewer levels of gray. We talked and shared ideas on how to be good disciples. We ended the hour with the story about the Good Samaritan who cared not about the hurt person’s religion or nationality, but, simply, about that person’s feelings. It’s the simple doing unto others, as we would like done to us. That’s it, end of class. Simple. No gray.
Then, this morning, in the darkness at 2:30am, as I walked into the bathroom to start the shower, I realized yesterday’s religion class totally applied to me, the teacher! I don’t know why the unethical decision was made. I wasn’t there. I don’t know about all the circumstances, and I don’t know if I would have done the same thing, letting heart and compassion trump business ethics. It was so clear to me this morning in the dark. I smiled and felt happy, clear, and light.
So, even when we say, let’s not pass judgment, let’s listen to that, let it sink in, and live it. Really.
Yesterday, I was told about something that I did not approve of. I had to be professional about a situation I considered unethical. I just smiled, kept it to myself and moved on with my day. A few hours later, I was enjoying one of the best hours of my week, teaching Catholic religion class for a group of 4th graders at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. We talked about sin, and conscience. We talked about accepting others, no matter a person’s lifestyle, race, religion or any other difference. These bright, sweet, kids fill me each week with their pure spirits and desire to be good. Good and bad decisions at this age have much fewer levels of gray. We talked and shared ideas on how to be good disciples. We ended the hour with the story about the Good Samaritan who cared not about the hurt person’s religion or nationality, but, simply, about that person’s feelings. It’s the simple doing unto others, as we would like done to us. That’s it, end of class. Simple. No gray.
Then, this morning, in the darkness at 2:30am, as I walked into the bathroom to start the shower, I realized yesterday’s religion class totally applied to me, the teacher! I don’t know why the unethical decision was made. I wasn’t there. I don’t know about all the circumstances, and I don’t know if I would have done the same thing, letting heart and compassion trump business ethics. It was so clear to me this morning in the dark. I smiled and felt happy, clear, and light.
So, even when we say, let’s not pass judgment, let’s listen to that, let it sink in, and live it. Really.
Kim, the perfect message for my day today. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts. We can learn so much by stepping back and getting down to a child's level ... not height, but perspective.
ReplyDeleteThanks.