1999-2019: Celebrating 20 Years of Ripples
Ripples #1052: When They Let Us Down!
July 22, 2019
PEBBLE
Life is imperfect.
People are imperfect.
Love is the perfect response.
-Kristi Nelson, shared by Holly in Phoenix, AZ
BOULDER
All I know is that my life is better when I assume that people are doing their best. It keeps me out of judgment and lets me focus on what is, and not what should or could be.
-Brene Brown quoting her husband Steve in her book, Rising Strong,
shared by Mary Kay in Milwaukee, WI
PONDER
.
People let us down.
Sometimes it happens because it turns out they are not the people we think they are, or they aren’t who we wish they were. Other times it is because we had unrealistic (or at least unspoken) expectations. It also happens because people aren’t always able to show up as the best possible versions of themselves because, well because life is hard sometimes.
When people let us down, we sometimes react from a place of frustration and/or hurt when we might be better served if we could pause a moment to regain a sense of peace and respond from a place of love. This doesn’t mean we have to tolerate bad behavior, silently suffer the consequences of other people’s choices, or take on other people’s responsibilities.
Responding from a place of love does mean that we can be assertive without being acerbic; we can show compassion while explaining consequences; we can even cut people a little slack for their shortcomings even as we invite them to think better and do better.
Can you give it a shot this week, just to see how it goes? I will if you will!
Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
p.s. Remember that I’m offline for a few weeks and won’t be checking emails regularly. I’ll let you know when I’m back online!
