Be Curious, Not Judgmental
In this age of snark, we can learn something from every situation
“Be curious, not judgmental.” Walt Whitman
In 1861, Walt Whitman’s brother was wounded at Fredericksburg in the Civil War. The American poet visited wounded and dying soldiers in the hospital, bringing gifts for both the Confederate and Union soldiers. He wanted to bring cheer to those suffering from the scars of war. He recorded the horrors of war in a letter to his Mother:
O Mother, to think that we are to have here soon what I have seen so many times, the awful loads and trains and boatloads of poor, bloody, and pale and wounded young men again; … it is dreadful when one thinks about it. I sometimes think over the sights I have myself seen: the arrival of the wounded after a battle, and the scenes on the field, too, and I can hardly believe my own recollections. What an awful thing war is! Mother, it seems not men but a lot of devils and butchers butchering each other.
Gerald Bullett said of the American poet, “Whitman…a man full-blooded and brotherly, unselfconscious in his democracy and genuinely at ease with all kinds and classes.”
We live in a very divisive “us and them” culture. Black and white. Judgy and critical. Not the same as the Civil War, I know. But I often think we are waging a war of civility in our day to day dealings with each other. What happened to compassion and open-mindedness? What happened to agreeing to disagree? Why can’t we see both sides of the story anymore? We have a dis-ease with people who are born different, think different, vote different, or just are different.
Reader’s Digest gives some tips on how to replace those criticisms with compassion and open-mindedness.
I’d like to hear from you in the comment section: Is there a cure for this problem? What are the reasons behind this problem?
Come, let us reason together.
Noteworthy Quotes
When people make judgements, they close all the possibility around them.― Jeff Koons
When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself― Earl Nightingale
When we make judgements we’re inevitably acting on limited knowledge, isn’t it best to ask if we seek to understand, or simply let them be?― Jay Woodman
It’s not your job to judge or to decide if someone deserves something. It’s your job to lift the fallen and comfort the broken.― Karen Gibbs
New Human | Kind Clothing Available on Amazon
About Me
“I believe that what makes us different is also what makes us special.”
I’m an artist. I paint whimsical characters that speak from my life experience with childlike wonder at the intersection where bravery and art collide. Find out more here: https://www.robinliefeld.com
· Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please support me by clapping, following, commenting, or subscribing. ❤
· If you find articles like this valuable and want to support my work, consider signing up to Medium. You get unlimited access to all articles from thousands of writers.
· If you sign up using my link, I’ll earn a small commission. I appreciate your support!
