Before you judge me, walk a mile or two in my shoes.

I was reminded yesterday at work and again tonight, just about a half hour ago about prejudice.
Webster's on-line dictionary has the following to say about it.

¹prej·u·dice

noun \ˈpre-jə-dəs\

Definition of PREJUDICE

1

: injury or damage resulting from some judgment or action of another in disregard of one's rights; especially : detriment to one's legal rights or claims

2

a (1) : preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge b : an instance of such judgment or opinion c : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics

Now I will tell you what I think about it. It hurts people. It hurt me yesterday and it hurt a family member tonight. All that ugly word does is breed hatred.

Before you judge someone because of their size or how they talk or color or hair color or what they wear or what you think they have done stop and think. You don't know what their life has been. You have no clue the things they have had to face in their life.

A little of what I have been through in my life. Some of this no one has ever known before. Betrayal by a family member when I was about 12; depression before I was old enough to know what the word meant; finding the man of my dreams and finding out he wasn't perfect; all the things we went through together: moving 1000 miles away from everything we had ever known, 4 pregnancy losses; dealing with my husbands health issues and almost losing him on 2 occasions. almost losing my son at age 6; building our dream home and losing it to fire just 4 years later; major surgery, threat of my having cervical cancer; threat of my having lung cancer; being in a wreck and developing post traumatic stress to the point I was afraid to drive; still being afraid every time I come to a stop sign because of one man (the man who hit me and almost cost my baby - I was almost term with Nick), finding out the love of my life had a malignant brain tumor that was incurable, the loss of that dear life......

In each and every event I have experienced, my Lord has been right there to comfort me. I mistreat Him and still He is there. I turn to Him and He is right where I left Him waiting for me to reach out to Him. Many of the things I have been through rocked my world. Many people in this world have been through worse. I am not telling you how bad my life has been. Not at all. My life has been good way more than bad. I am just telling you there is only One Judge and that judge is not on this Earth. Be compassionate with people. Love each other, forgive each other, don't judge by what you see. Eyes deceive! And please never turn to drugs or alcohol--there is One above who will listen and help you!

Many people I know who have been through terrible things turned to drugs or alcohol to cope. I am very, very grateful to the One above that that never happened to me.

My real friends have been there too! I do not know what I would have done without you! You know who you are. You were there without my having to call you.

Too bad the perpetrators of the comments from Friday will not know how I feel about this because they don't read this blog. Oh well! Even though her words hurt me, I will forgive her without her ever asking because it is the right thing to do. I know she has been through some things called life herself.

I love you all.........