Standing in Judgment

It's funny but this is the first year I recall hearing NO resolutions from friends about the new year. I suppose it's good in the respect that many people allow theirs to fall by the wayside after a week or two. I suppose it's bad that people have not made the judgment that they could stand to benefit from some improvement, and had the nerve to state it publicly.

What is certainly bad is that many people think nothing of making disparaging remarks about other people publicly. US national politics has deteriorated into an arena of mudslinging. Celebrities and various others know they can automatically be seen as "newsworthy" by the media by making outrageous negative statements about third parties.

I even see this in my personal life. People who are overweight criticize the looks of others. People whose children have all sorts of issues offer "fix-it" commentary about others' children. People who are broke give financial advice to others. People whose relationships are in shambles point out shortcomings in other people and the way they manage their lives. People who complain about their coworkers don't realize that they are considered to be the difficult people in the office. So many people stand in judgment of others when they are human beings themselves with faults and deficiencies. That's what makes us human and not a bunch of androids. Can we really be honest and take these judgments on the chin when others judge us, or are we merely willing to dish it out?

I would like to see a 2012 that brings people together looking for their strengths -- because even the least capable among us has strengths -- instead of looking to judge them negatively on their weaknesses. And I sure hope I can live up to this lofty goal myself, at least some of the time.