Worthy of Sharing

I posted a meme to my Facebook the other day and I don't post meme's very often. My experience has been when I see a barrage of those well intended messages and read one after another they become less significant.

This one seemed worth reposting. I'll share it with you now.

BOOM! There it is!

You never know when you just might make someones day. I was at Trader Joe's the other day and we were in line to check out when I remembered I needed one more thing. I looked at Keri and said, "I'll be right back." Somehow, I was able to go right to the olives and go back before she was even finished checking out.

I placed the forgotten olives on the check out stand and Keri said, "BINGO! That was fast." I said, "Yup! Bingo bongo bango and we're on our way." We shared small talk with the checker and when he was finishing up he thanked me for saying, Bingo, Bongo, Bango, because his father-in-law died recently, but before he did he went through a bad bout of dementia and one of the last things he would repeatedly say was Bingo Bongo Bango. He had fond memories of his father-in-law and he always smiles whenever he hears someone say that phrase.

I don't know about you, but when he shared this story with me, I got cold chills. I'm cheesy that way, but it goes back to what I've said before, when you make someone's day it kinda makes your day too.

I had no idea that those three little words would make his day, but Bingo Bongo, Bango there it was a smile on his face.

To judge or share, which is it?

What's the difference between passing judgement and sharing my opinion? Excellent question my friend! I don't really know the answer to that question, that is why I am asking. Let's look into it a little bit.

I just googled "pass judgement" and the free dictionary online defined it as forming a critical opinion. Personally, the word critical has a negative connotation. So, I guess if you are sharing an opinion that is critical of another then it crosses the line of being judgmental. Just for shits and giggles I requested a definition for critical, because I was wondering if it could be a positive thing. When I looked a little further into the definition I found it also means having decisive or crucial importance in the success or failure of something. That sounds like a positive thing, because I choose to focus on the positive and I hear success. This triggers a memory for me about working in a dental lab. I'll write more on that later, because I really want to continue investigating the difference between passing judgment and sharing my opinion.

After reading several articles and quotes on sharing my opinion it seems far less important to differentiate between sharing an opinion and being judgmental. It seems to be of a much greater importance to focus on allowing others to be. It must be true because I keep finding myself standing right I front of the same realization time after time.

Passing judgment on others does not make me feel better and sharing my opinion,...well, what the hell difference does it make? I have my opinion and you have yours. Does sharing my opinion with you change your opinion? Maybe,...sometimes, but really only if you are open to it. There really is no sense in arguing, unless one of us is open to and willing to change. I am open to having a conversation, but I don't want to argue. For the sake of this blog and my original question, I believe I have come to the conclusion that sharing an opinion can be beneficial as long as both parties are open to a conversation and passing judgment depends on the intention of the person passing the judgment. Is it well intended? Is it of crucial importance in aiding to the success of an endeavor of another? Is the other person open to hearing? Are you willing to share in an effort to help someone out? Are you open to them not giving a shit about your opinion? Are you open to the idea that they might love your idea, but aren't willing to do anything to improve their behavior?

If you find your self feeling negative feelings while observing something that you are not willing to work out and want to LET GO of the negative feelings, simply start now.

Let it go and start now.