I'm really good, really good, at spotting smelling mistooks - sorry, spelling mistakes, in other people's work.

Yesterday, someone found a mistake in my work I was doing for free for them - a mistake they could have easily sorted themselves. I was miffed!

However, I've learned that every experience holds a lesson if you're open-minded enough to learn it.

My lesson was to re-visit some 2000 year old wisdom:

Why do you look at the speck of dust in your friend's eye when there's a plank of wood sticking out of your own eye?

First, deal with the plank, then you'll be able to see clearly to help your mate. [That's a rather 'free' translation of Matthew chapter 7 verses 3 to 5.]

What did I learn? I learned this:

Whenever I find something lacking in somebody else - whether that's their spelling, or worse still, their character, it's an opportunity to check to see if I've become Plank-Eye, the Pirate!

Carl Jung dug into this territory too with his wonderful understanding of the Shadow. To simplify the thought: what we cannot tolerate in others is often an aspect of ourselves that we haven't come to terms with!

In the end, it comes down to this: it's best not to judge others. When tempted to, do a self-check first! And, if you do find something you can fix without pointing out someone else's shortcomings, fix it!

Finally, if you do have to point something out - be nice - knowing that there for the grace of God go you... and you probably will!

Lex

A Moodscope member.