Now that I am in my thirties, I consider one of my personal quests to be slow to judge fellow human beings and their actions. As a result, I frequently abstain myself from giving an opinion, picking a side, incriminating, complaining and/or even celebrating some events, current topics or holidays.

These days, every time a situation or crisis arise and becomes a trending topic in media and offline conversations, I fight the temptation to express my first thoughts.  I do my best to inform myself first about the background of the story, wait until the individual or group in question claims responsibility and then, inspired by Pope Francis’ answer to a delicate question, ask myself:

Who Am I To Judge?

Am I doing my best?

…Or, at least, Am I doing my part to make it better?

…As a daughter?

…As a sister?

…As a friend?

…As a Dominican?

…As a raised Catholic?

…As a woman?

…As a professional?

…As a colleague?

…As an aunt? As a niece? As a granddaughter? As a cousin? 

…As an immigrant? As a Hispanic immigrant? 

…As a wife?

…As a daughter in law?

…As an expat?

…As a blogger?

…As a stranger?

…As a spiritual person? 

…As a privileged human being?

…As a citizen of this world?

Only when I am in peace with my own answers to those questions, I will allow myself to talk.

And the first thing I would like to say is:

How can I help?

Yours In Love & Service,

Laura

Image Credit: Jen B. Peters.

Thanks Jen for creating and authorizing the use of this beautiful image!

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