A tattoo,
covering the entire forearm of a young woman, arrested my attention. I read and
reread the dark blue inky words, “God is my Judge”. An unpleasant memory triggered.
I
had been judged and snubbed by close friends, those whom I trusted and had felt
especially close to. I was sorely misunderstood. Now, I felt that pain, sadness
and heartache prick my heart again. It rekindled an old, familiar adage: “Unless you've walked a mile in my shoes, don’t judge me!”
Until
judged harshly, until false presumptions left me feeling like I had been
punched in the stomach, I had failed to personally understand how wounding judgmental
words are. They crush and reduce a person’s character. They ruin relationships.
