Wednesday, December 14, 2022
You just don’t know. How does anybody know what you are dealing with? No-one knows your troubles, and you don’t know theirs. My home is peaceful, and I’m lucky. But what about those whose homes are violent, abusive, or ridden in squalor? Can you imagine what that does to a person, when they cannot find peace in their very home?
Cut people some slack. The world needs this. It’s easy to assume that others should just be able to “pull it together.” But they cannot always move past their limitations and their demons, so the standards have to be flexible. Think of the many times you needed slack, some flexibility, or some understanding. You needed people to give you a break, and they did. Maybe you can inspire and encourage, but people can only progress as quickly as they are able. You cannot demand that people just “deal” with their issues, on demand. No-one responds well to that kind of barking.
We have no idea what people are dealing with. Everyone is dealing with something, sometimes so severe that it hinders their abilities to interact, to manage challenge, and to be productive. We must stop expecting others to be “perfect.” We must stop expecting people to please us. You can never live up to what others expect of you, so we must stop expecting others to live up to our so-called standards. Cut people some slack. Be the kind of person you wish to see in others. Be the example. People are only doing their best, and we have to meet them where they are.