Tuesday, July 14th
One person was scowling at everyone. I wanted to leave, but I needed a meeting.
A meeting is a collection of individuals. We each bring our anxieties, fears, resentments, and shame into the rooms with us, which may influence how we perceive others.
We might feel ill at ease or even threatened by our perception of others’ behavior at a meeting. This unease may recall trauma from our past. We can remind ourselves that, however disruptive we think another person is, we are not responsible for their behavior. We don’t need to take the inventory of others, however tempting that might be.
Instead of finding fault with others, we try to recognize how their character defects may closely resemble our own. When we find ourselves criticizing some aspect of a meeting, we ask ourselves, “How important is it?”
Most of us find some sense of hope, community, or nourishment at a meeting. The slogan Take what you like and leave the rest works for many of us.
Welcoming others, regardless of differences, is a way toward accepting ourselves.