vengeance.

the longer i Live on this Rock, the more i embrace the Spiritual practice of letting the Creator judge others.

as someone who has been judged openly, harshly, mockingly, at various seasons of my Life, often by those the closest to me— i know the deep, resounding sting of Being misunderstood, mislabeled, misrepresented.

it is because of this familiarity, though, that i choose not to go there in my own mind, ‘reminding myself regularly of things Grandmas say:

“if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all,”

and, “that is none of your business.”

i’ve learned — i’m still learning — to catch myself when i go all Plankeye. (that’s my word for when we are blinded by our own messes, but foolishly think we have the right to tell others how nasty their messes are— ahem.)

i stop. i think about what i’m thinking about. i capture + reject the arrogant thoughts, even as they’re forming. + then i immediately replace my criticisms with an internal dialogue that goes more like: “well, Papa. i can’t control what that person does, but i can control what i do. so help me DO THE LOVE, and You take care of them.”

and sure enough, as soon as i let go of being hyper-focused on someone else’s behavior + choose to focus my energy where it belongs— on my own path + story— when i let go of thinking that i know what’s best for others, as opposed to surrendering my incredibly weak human understanding to The Creator of the Cosmos’ Flawless Design— when i lay down my hurt + anger (+ most probably misunderstanding) towards those around me whose actions have caused me disappointment or pain, + i yeet it all back on Jesus—

then and only then, there is peace.

sure. i could write a few novels worth of really bad stories about some people who have really let me down. but if i’m honest with myself— which y’all know by now, i be to a fault— there are plenty of people i’ve met along the way who could write their own novel’s worth of wicked annie stories, too.

i frequently say, in conversation that seems to be heading down the judgy road— “yeah. i’m not gonna throw rocks from my glass house.” with an awkward smile + closed lips.

in others words — i’ve learned that everything “bad” i point out in others just shatters my own fragile image. we are but mirrors, sweet friend—

so if you spot it, you got it.

. . .

but want to hear some Good News?

what do you think would happen if we all started looking for the Beauty instead? if we aimed intentionally to look for the progress in others, not the perfection? if we set out, specifically, to find the absolute Best in someone else— and left the God-stuff up to, you know, God.

i propose we’d be happier people with a lot less stress in our Lives. ’cause when we stop trying to control everyone around us, we free up all of that mental and emotional space to actually enjoy Life.

wait. did you catch ^that?

your Life was given to you to enjoy!

(not be a miserable, judgmental Jerk who sucks the ever-Loving Life out of others.)

sorry. but it’s True.

. . .

so the next time you get yourself all worked up over someone else’s choices that maybe do-absolutely-indeed stink, seize control of that all of the hyper-critical energy + devote it, instead, to your own person. get busy checking your own heart, instead of playing God for everyone else.

there is a God. + you ain’t Him.

BE NICE.

Love you. mean it.