#NoJudgment
No judgment. That's all we want. We not only want to be loved, but we also want to be free of judgment. Yes, we need to be addressed so that we can grow, but not criticized for being ourselves. There is a difference between being addressed and being attacked. Striking someone who has good intentions only drives them into the opposite direction. It causes them to become bitter, removing them from a place of happiness and healthy contentment. The term "no judgment" came from a coworker of mine who was explaining why he enjoys Snapchat. It's an app that allows people to post videos and pictures, limiting the response onlookers can make, for each post is only available for 24 hours. I personally don't use it because it kills my battery, but I fully understand it. Giving someone constructive criticism is always good. The manner in which you do it says a lot about your character. God is very intimate, so when He addresses you, He does it in a way that is secret to others. He wants to talk to you, not at you.
So far, I've had two instances where I've unfriended someone because they weren't adding anything to my life. The first instance involved someone whom I loved, but never knew and probably doesn't fully today. I would post photos and sayings, shedding light on issues in society and concerns I had within myself. This individual would attack my posts, using God to validate their opposition. The bigger issue was arguing with this person on such a public platform. Facebook is not the place for that, nor is Instagram or Twitter. Face-to-face interaction will always be the best form of communication because that way, nothing is taken out of context. Nothing. The individual apologized several times, yet persisted on continuing their verbal interruptions in my feed. They obviously didn't care for the effect it had on me and others watching. Removing access from this person was one of the best decisions I've ever made, despite the closeness in our relationship.
The second instance occurred over the last few days. I posted a joke that roughed a few feathers. My intentions were never to harm or take the situation upon it was implying lightly. Some thought it was an insensitive remark why others understood its purpose (mostly those who knew me, but that's beside the point). Confronting me on social media feeds more into the lack of interpersonal conversations that it has festered over the last decade. We're becoming more inclined to type and text than actually talk. I apologized if I had offered offense, but that wasn't my intention. Context was not provided, therefore, confusion emerged, causing miscommunication.
Seeing that I will be posting more in the future, I didn't want to risk dealing with such negativity. A person can either do two things once receiving a comment under their post: ignore or ignite. Ignoring comes with thicker skin. Some people are able to totally disregard what's being implied. Others tend to take the stick of dynamite that was thrown, light the fuse, and let them have it. The ladder sounds more fun, right? Despite how much easier that would be, your conscious would influence you to do the contrary if you have matured beyond that mindset. Mase, a rapper from Harlem, stated in a recent interview that when it came to an specific enemy he had, he ran out of cheeks to turn as he metaphorically felt blows on both sides. What do you do when you've had enough of the heckling and the misinterpretations? Do you back down and hold back your thoughts, or do you stand your grown and continue to express your passion? The choice is yours, just don't lose yourself in the process.
Maybe one day, I will join Snapchat again. Maybe I'll post more videos and messages for others receive, especially if I know they would help. My purpose in life is not to harm, but help, uplift, and push forward. So much is going on in the world and something needs to be done. Women are coming forth with their stories of physical and mental abuse from men in their past and present. Racial tension still exists in our schools, communities, and even in our churches. We protest to make change, but what are we doing at home? Are we expressing our concerns towards our spouses and children, making sure they know where they stand as a family? How can one seek change others if they can't change themselves? I strive to do that everyday. My humor may not be accepted by many, but my intentions are perfectly comprehended in God's eyes. He informs me if what I'm doing is wrong or not. I can't allow someone's opinion dictate my decisions. None of us should. I do believe that it's time that we listen and not lash. Lil' Wayne has "I Fear God" tatted on his face. Despite his choice in placement of the ink, there's truth behind that. Why can't we search for that in what we say? The refusal to do so is the much bigger problem than what's actually being expressed. Think about it.
So far, I've had two instances where I've unfriended someone because they weren't adding anything to my life. The first instance involved someone whom I loved, but never knew and probably doesn't fully today. I would post photos and sayings, shedding light on issues in society and concerns I had within myself. This individual would attack my posts, using God to validate their opposition. The bigger issue was arguing with this person on such a public platform. Facebook is not the place for that, nor is Instagram or Twitter. Face-to-face interaction will always be the best form of communication because that way, nothing is taken out of context. Nothing. The individual apologized several times, yet persisted on continuing their verbal interruptions in my feed. They obviously didn't care for the effect it had on me and others watching. Removing access from this person was one of the best decisions I've ever made, despite the closeness in our relationship.
The second instance occurred over the last few days. I posted a joke that roughed a few feathers. My intentions were never to harm or take the situation upon it was implying lightly. Some thought it was an insensitive remark why others understood its purpose (mostly those who knew me, but that's beside the point). Confronting me on social media feeds more into the lack of interpersonal conversations that it has festered over the last decade. We're becoming more inclined to type and text than actually talk. I apologized if I had offered offense, but that wasn't my intention. Context was not provided, therefore, confusion emerged, causing miscommunication.
Seeing that I will be posting more in the future, I didn't want to risk dealing with such negativity. A person can either do two things once receiving a comment under their post: ignore or ignite. Ignoring comes with thicker skin. Some people are able to totally disregard what's being implied. Others tend to take the stick of dynamite that was thrown, light the fuse, and let them have it. The ladder sounds more fun, right? Despite how much easier that would be, your conscious would influence you to do the contrary if you have matured beyond that mindset. Mase, a rapper from Harlem, stated in a recent interview that when it came to an specific enemy he had, he ran out of cheeks to turn as he metaphorically felt blows on both sides. What do you do when you've had enough of the heckling and the misinterpretations? Do you back down and hold back your thoughts, or do you stand your grown and continue to express your passion? The choice is yours, just don't lose yourself in the process.
Maybe one day, I will join Snapchat again. Maybe I'll post more videos and messages for others receive, especially if I know they would help. My purpose in life is not to harm, but help, uplift, and push forward. So much is going on in the world and something needs to be done. Women are coming forth with their stories of physical and mental abuse from men in their past and present. Racial tension still exists in our schools, communities, and even in our churches. We protest to make change, but what are we doing at home? Are we expressing our concerns towards our spouses and children, making sure they know where they stand as a family? How can one seek change others if they can't change themselves? I strive to do that everyday. My humor may not be accepted by many, but my intentions are perfectly comprehended in God's eyes. He informs me if what I'm doing is wrong or not. I can't allow someone's opinion dictate my decisions. None of us should. I do believe that it's time that we listen and not lash. Lil' Wayne has "I Fear God" tatted on his face. Despite his choice in placement of the ink, there's truth behind that. Why can't we search for that in what we say? The refusal to do so is the much bigger problem than what's actually being expressed. Think about it.
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