accept people for who they are

Mental note to self…I can accept someone for who they are and the things they do. I do not have to like all of who they are and all of the things they do.

Upon further advice sought, when I can apply the knowledge of accepting others for the choices they make in whatever situation they had to face with the options they had to work with…I should logically be able to apply this same method to my own idiosyncrasies that I deem unacceptable.

Logically.

I was also further called out on why I preferred to work on goals dealing with others first and myself second. Surely I could see how I can’t really understand acceptance if I can’t accept myself.

Similar to airline emergency cabin instructions. Secure your own air mask first before assisting others…was basically the advice I received.

I loath working on the hard stuff (myself) first.

Ah, sage words of advice…

I asked for enlightenment and I did receive it. And as it so happens the author spoke my language.

“It seems to me that people tend to judge others when they think they have a better answer. Sometimes one just has to realize that we each do what we can with what we have.”

We all have to make hard choices and when it’s my hard choice I say it’s my life..it’s my liberty. Odd how that changes when it’s someone elses…and I fear for them out of love. Odd how that changes when I snap judge out of something in the media when I don’t know them out of the tabloid?

Everybody has a private situation. People have secrets. Even friends… Best friends, family, and certainly co-workers. So I imagine people in the public eye would definably have things blown out of proportion. I live in fear of my secrets, of being judged and I suffer for it.

There has to be something in this enlightenment for me. Is it that accepting people for who they are is actually about understanding that it is about freedom of choice? Is it that acceptance is really a loving and humane act of kindness that’s something I need to do for myself more than I need to do for others?