Weakness or Strength?

It seems that every where I turn lately people are suffering. I don’t know if there is really more suffering than there has been in the past, or if just the people I know are suffering more, or if I’m just more sensitive. But it does seem that more and greater burdens are being placed upon people. As I’ve observed this adversity in people’s lives I’ve learned so much. The most important thing is to never judge. You absolutely never know what people have gone through or what they are going through.

I remember a story a friend told me years ago. He had been to a party of young adults and saw a beautiful, well dressed, young woman that he maneuvered to meet. As he “positioned” himself to meet her he found out that besides being beautiful she was well educated, and everyone reported that she was a lot of fun to be around. Finally he met her, but was immediately put off by her speech. Her words were not clearly enunciated and often slurred. He thought that someone as educated should take the time to speak properly and so he left her as soon as he got the chance and went on to visit other people.

Later in the evening he was talking to someone who had seen him with the woman. “She’s amazing, isn’t she?” the man said. My friend answered, “Yes, but you’d think she’d speak more clearly.” The man stared at him, “For someone who is almost totally deaf, I think it’s remarkable that she’s learned to read lips and speak as well as she does.” I don’t need to explain how that stunned my friend. What he had judged as a failing was actually a miraculous achievement.

Not all of our adversity and suffering is obvious to others, but it all affects us and the very thing we may judge as a weakness in others may be an amazing act of bravery and courage. In short, we need to not judge but always support and encourage each other.