Sore Intentions

“We judge ourselves on our intentions , however we  tend to judge others on their actions”

I remembered today this quote and I think it is extremely true.

It came to mind for me as I was limping to the car in the rain this morning trying to simultaneously not get my hair soaking wet, run back inside for my security pass for work and trying to balance my bag, by shoes and my keys in one hand (and my breakfast muffin).

I was in a bad mood because my foot hurt and I could barely walk. For some reason over the last week (which I have yet to figure out how)  I somehow sprained my foot skiing or skating. Weird as I never even knew I hurt myself until I could barely walk by the end of the week.

I started thinking how annoyed I was to have this very irrelevant and subtle pain in my life even for a few days. It changed me: my outlook, my tolerance and my patience. It has  made me really grumpy and aggravated.

It made my already full life that much more difficult. And made me think of this quote above

Imagine all the people in this world walking around with “invisible” problems? Problems much more severe than a hurt foot that will soon heal quickly.

Chronic pain issues. Divorce. Losing a loved one. Invisible Disabilities. Alcoholism. Missing their kids when they are at work. Worrying about an impending court date. Feeling lonely. Depression. Laid off from work. Stressed. Hurting. Having difficult decisions to make. Going through difficult transitions.

Imagine how under many circumstances our actions and behaviors may be perceived wrongly or interpreted falsely all because of other factors. Our actions are very often different than our intentions. If no one knows about my foot and my mood-how will they judge me today?

Isn’t that scary?

And when do someone’s circumstances become an excuse instead of a circumstantial element? At what point do people have to take  the responsibility of  our own behaviors and actions fully? Where is the limit between understanding and appreciating someone’s circumstances and having to almost accept them as your own? Whose responsibility is this? It’s hard to know sometimes isn’t it?

So as I felt my hurt foot today and tonight, and dealt with the annoyance however small this caused me on the way to my car, it reminded me of the importance of thinking of others and their circumstances more often and what factors unknown to me, may have caused them to act or not act in a certain way.

To look beyond what is at face value.

To be able to look past actions and look closely at intentions

To judge others with the same delicate handling and nature of forgiveness upon how we judge ourselves.

I learned a lot from my measly little sore foot today. It's interesting how in life we try so hard to protect our children from any type of pain or "suffering", where  there in lies the truth. As adults I think we all know that it is through these little dramas, and aches and pains and more negative events that we end up learning the most.

Yet we still  somehow try to protect our kids all the time from harms way. Or we feel desperately sorry for them if they are put into difficult situations.

So I will think of my little foot today as I go through life looking through a wider lens. I will  try hard to view bad marks, forgotten lunches, broken hearts, lost friends, and anything else that comes our way as an opportunity and a lesson.

And I will be mindful of all the invisible factorrs that surround me as I experience the journeys of life of others around me. I will take heavily into account my own travels but will also try to include some of the trips and places others go, and where they are, and where they have been.


Into my own repetoire of understanding. In hopes that mine will grow and flourish over time.