Judgment is a toxic trait to possess. We’re all relatively aware of that. It’s unjust, unfair, and most times completely unwarranted, but despite our recognition of the issues associated with practicing judgment, a lot of us still engage with it. In fact, I would argue most of us, if not all of us at some point or another, judge.
Judgment as a concept is one that has always bothered me, as I am sure it is one that bothers a lot of us. I’m not exactly sure who decided that a misconstrued conception of someone we more than likely don’t know is an appropriate way to make assumptions about them prior to even getting to know them in any way, but I’d like to have a chat with them.
The biggest issue affiliated with judgment, in my opinion, aside from it being outright wrong, is its potential for us to miss out on someone or something truly amazing. When we write someone off based strictly on the way they look, we are completely cutting ourselves off from ever getting to know who they are as a person and the opportunities and experiences it could lead to. They could be one of the kindest, sweetest souls you will ever know, but because they don’t look a certain way, they’re discarded before they have a chance to express who they are.
In the words of Rita Mae Brown, “good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.” And, quite honestly, I have to agree. Experience is one of the truly advantageous outcomes that can occur from practicing good judgment, among others, and the inability to avoid cruel judgment and practice good, or positive judgment, is far too common nowadays than not.
Be kind, always. Don’t judge, don’t assume, and open your mind. It might surprise you what happens.
ontheedgeofeverything 
