I’ll tell you a secret: I am QUICK to label someone or something crazy. Judgmental, lacking in compassion and unkind, I know. It is true nonetheless. Upon further examination, the people I call crazy exhibit behavior that is repeatedly:

Angry
Irrational
Fearful
Unkind
Impatient
Illogical
Flaky
Dishonest
Judgmental
Mean
Irresponsible
Petty.

The truth is, I have at one time or another been any or several of those things. I’m willing to bet that you have, too. Most of the time, these “crazy” behaviors are tied to fear.

We’re ALL a little crazy. There, I said it.

Not him, not her, not them…ME.

The sooner I own my own crazy and accept everyone else’s without condemning “their” crazy as somehow worse, more hurtful and less damaging than “mine”, the more at peace, happier and compassionate I’ll be.

That person I just called crazy? They’re my mirror. Hell, they ARE me.

So, the next time I’m tempted to call someone crazy, I will remember the last time I behaved that way (which, if I’m honest, could have been yesterday, last week, month, year or even a few minutes ago) and extend the patience and compassion that I would want extended to me. I’ll consider the possibility that they are in pain, because fear is never fun and won’t be so quick to assign a character flaw to someone who is doing the best they can to navigate this sometimes challenging life.

Posted via email from Simply Staci