My Heart on My Sleeve

I would like to address something that has recently come about due to the post I wrote last week about life with Mallory. Before I do so, let me remind myself and those who read The Jenkins Chronicle what a blog is:

"A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world. Your blog is whatever you want it to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules."

In life, we will have moments where in wearing our heart on our sleeve and being vulnerable for those around us to see, we will occasionally experience reactions from others that might sting a little. When I wrote that post last week about the hardships that I have been experiencing as a first-time parent, I wrote it with my heart on my sleeve. Most of the feedback that I received was heartfelt words of encouragement, love, support, and reminders that I am indeed not the only mother to feel the way I have. And there were even those who were a little more concerned about me but still provided positive guidance in a healthy form of communication. Unfortunately not everyone who read my post decided to be as positive and might have even decided to pass judgment on me. That's the part that stings.

Inflicting judgment on others can be a battle for anyone; no matter how old or young, wise or immature, experienced or unfamiliar. Matthew 7:1-5 tells us, 

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

This passage in the Bible is so important for all of us to remember, especially when the person we might be passing judgment on is in a vulnerable spot. If you do decide to pass judgment on others, at least be considerate and keep it to yourself. It pretty much goes back to the way that I ended that post - "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

I will continue to use my blog as my personal place to put my thoughts and feelings. And I will do so with confidence knowing that I am a good person and a great mom. For those who follow along with The Jenkins Chronicle, expect to continue seeing a variety of posts from me: happy, sad, grateful, challenged, or otherwise. Because if writers (music, poetry, novels, etc.) only wrote about the good without the bad, our music and literature would be awfully boring.