Open books & Judgmental People

I have never really been a judgmental person. I don't like judging people at all, let alone before I meet them. However, it is difficult to meet someone that you have heard some crappy things about and still want to be their friend, still want to show them who you are, and still want to make time for them despite the crappy things you've heard. 

I love when these situations prove me wrong. I absolutely adore hearing something that turns out to just be a bunch of bull and meeting someone pretty fantastic. 

I don't want to say names or places, so this is the blacked-out version. :)

I was blessed to have this reminder pop back into my life over the past few weeks. A person I had never met, but only really heard about started hanging out with some people I knew. I had only ever really heard some crappy things about this person. I got to spend some decent time with this person a few weeks ago and I was floored by how wrong people were, then I got to spend some more time with this person by fluke and was even more floored. This person is hated on and judged mercilessly.....for no reason except for jealousy and immaturity. (Nothing that I can figure out anyways)

This whole situation reminded me of ...me. I have learned in my near quarter century (*gulp*) that people either tend to really like me or really really not. No one ever really says "yeah, I kind of like Steph." People often love me and hate me for the same reasons as well. I'm loud, I'm outgoing, I don't beat around the bush, I give you the advice you need to hear, and I'm not terrible looking. Apparently these are all reasons to love and hate me.

I started thinking about what people have heard about me before they met me. I hope that there are more people out there that have heard good things rather than bad things, but either way ... it reminded me that we should all take a step back. We should think about where these hurtful words about people are coming from, and still jump in the deep end and give them a shot. If you don't, you could miss out on a really great person in your life, and I'm not sure about you, but I love having great people in my life. 

This all sounds so .... odd now that I re-read it, but it was really important to me. I think sometimes we all need a good reminder not to judge a book by the cover, or judge people based on what you hear. I'm very glad that people have overcame what they heard about me or what they thought I was ... some of my best friends overcame what they thought I was ... (*Chelsea*) ... and now we're closer than ever.

Life's a good thing. Life's short. Give people a shot, it'll be worth it.

-S