Friday May 28, 2010

"So what lessons am I learning? Listening to the radio - there is a conversation going on about criminal behaviou...and thoughts about how criminals need to realize they have to come forward and see the way they are impacting their children.

I recall hearing the intensity in one announcer's voice....almost a sheer anger....or frustration....clearly passionate...and calling out on the radio to these 'criminals' "you're a bad bad man! You're bad!! You should be ashamed of yourself! You are a dummy! You are an idiot! You're bad! Stupid-stupid man!". 

I caught myself thinking thatt sounds so judgmental and asking..."what of solutions?"...but then I asked if there was a possibility that I was judgine another culture I had no business doing since I knew nothing of this culture.  My own self quietly responded to silence my inner judge and practice listening.  After all...my own people were judged quite harshly...

Judging I found is often done when I feel unsure...I asked myslef how can I learn if I'm judging - isn't that making assumptions that I somehow know better?  My task then has become to establish the best way to ask about the culture without making assumptions....a