Second Chances

So I guess having more time to blog didn't turn into more blogging. I have a hard time coming up with acceptable topics to write about. When I have time to write and a topic doesn't come to mind easily, I tend to move on to other things. Hopefully I can find a way to brainstorm better topics, or this blog will get really sparse really fast.

Over my lifetime, I have become well aware that I don't always give off a great impression. Frequently, when I wish to speak my mind, the words come out much differently than I imagined in my mind, and I come off sounding stupid or uneducated. For this reason, I have learned to keep my mouth shut in the vast majority of social situations. As the saying goes, "Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt."

I am also human, and therefore prone to error. I have made plenty of mistakes in my life, including everything from saying something rude or hurtful, to making poor decisions, to being ignorant. Once again, I have learned to keep most of my actions private, since the judgement of others can often be more harsh than I can handle.

All of this is to say that when you are judging others, perhaps it is a good policy to look past fist impressions and mistakes. People are never perfect, so you may miss out on a great friend by judging too harshly. I have known plenty of people who are awkward or who have done and said things I don't agree with. I try not to think less of these people, but rather to inspect their motives and reasoning. Very seldom do I conclude that their actions come from a mean or evil place. They are just imperfect people, just like me, trying to make their way through life as best they can.

Even when I don't like a person right away, I usually give them many chances to show their true character. Sometimes, the process of understanding and getting-to-know someone can even last a lifetime. It could be said then, that the only real mistake and ignorance is to close yourself off to someone once you believe them to be a bad person. Keep yourself open, and there is no limits to the ways you can learn and grow from others.