Welcome To My Blog

I’ve a friend who happens to be a rock star, which can be a strange and confusing world. And yet my friend is one of the more stable people I know. He doesn’t get down too much when things don’t go his way, and he doesn’t get all that excited when they do. He’s a terrific listener, too, and wants to know more about you than he wants you to know about himself. In a culture that praises fame, my friend hardly notices. He seems to see music as a service he offers, no different than a waiter bringing more water. He doesn’t think too much or too little of himself. And for the first few years I knew him, I just assumed he was one of those rare people who was given a heaping supply of wisdom and humility, and I think there might be some truth to that. But recently, I met one of the main reasons my friend is so emotionally stable and capable. I met his father.

I was at a weekend retreat and my friend’s dad happened to be there, and we ended up sharing a room so I got to spend 48 hours or more with him, and engaged in more than a few great conversations. while talking about something I can’t remember, my friend made the statement that he’s made it a priority to never judge his children. I asked him what he meant by that, and he thought about it for a second and said he always wanted to be the kind of dad who would invite his children to be open and honest about whatever they were dealing with. And he said he thought he’d accomplish that. He said he was often really surprised at how much his sons would tell him about their lives. They’d be out surfing and one of the kids would come over and just start talking, just thinking outloud about whatever they were struggling with.

Why do they feel safe? I asked.

He said that he accomplished this by never judging his kids. He said when they were younger, he’d discipline them, for sure, and he’d guide them and teach them, but he’d never allow himself to think less of them or express that they’d lost any “value” in his eyes. He also confessed there were plenty of times when he had to bite his tongue!

Today his sons are adults, married and very successful, and yet they interact with the world as though they are wanted, as though the world would not think less of them because they are human.

It got me wondering about whether I’m a good listener, about my own motives for thinking less of people….I’ll be exploring more of this on Monday…

For now, though, I’m wondering if you and I can pay attention to how often we “think less” of people. Try not to “think less” of yourself for doing it, but simply pay attention to when you are doing it. And then ask yourself why….Why am I judging this person? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? If it’s a good thing, what good comes from it? If it’s a bad thing, what are my motives? Are my motives to feel better about myself in comparison?

We can continue this conversation next week. Have a great weekend!