I was down on myself for awhile for passing judgment on others, something I’m very quick to do, especially when it comes to things in which I believe strongly. I think I’ve finally decided that it’s OK to do this. Comparison is a common way for people to learn, a form of evaluation. (Sesame Street taught me this. Which one of these things is not like the others?…)

Watching interactions between others and determining whether I would take the same or a different action forces me to think about issues I never might have considered, allows me to make choices in advance and often points me to areas where I can see I need to do more research or where DH and I need to have a discussion.

The important thing is to know when to share a viewpoint and when to keep your mouth shut. Judging in my head is a lot different than openly announcing that I agree or disagree. At best it can foster discussion, but at worst…