Send a little love.

Rather than judge, always seek to understand. And send a little love.

Sometimes we are so quick to judge. I think we are all guilty of this. All of us. Whether we want to admit it or not. I know I did that just this morning. I guess it’s easier, and quicker, than thinking about where they might be coming from, why they are acting the way they are.

Maybe they are acting out of fear or pain, maybe they just received some bad news, or recently lost a loved one. Maybe they are wondering how they are going to pay their heating bill this winter. Maybe they don’t know how to cope with the stress in their lives. Or maybe they are just plain having a bad day, God knows we all have those! You don’t know. And you are not God, you don’t have the right to judge another’s behavior (well, I guess you can, but it’s not going to do you any good).

The next time you catch yourself judging someone, because they act in a way you don’t like, or they say something that you “would never say”, they are too sensitive and they cry too much (or maybe not enough), or their parenting skills are different than your own, or they seem to be grieving longer than you think they should, just take a step back. Just for a moment. And send them some love.

You don’t have to know them, you don’t even have to know their name. So whether it’s the clerk at the gas station, the server who seems to get everything wrong, the driver who cut you off, or the family member who seems to always push your buttons, don’t judge. Just send them some love. Easier said than done, I know. But practice makes perfect.

Somehow, some way, that love will come back to you. And that is what the world needs right now. Love.