A truth about blogging: Sometimes no matter how carefully you choose your words, no matter how diplomatic and respectful you feel you’re being, no matter how clearly you think you’ve shared your viewpoint…. you still get called judgmental. Short-sighted. Preachy. Hypocritical.
Hypocritical. Hypocritical. Hypocritical.
The odd thing is the perverse pleasure people seem to take in pointing out this perceived hypocrisy. “Admit it! You’re a hypocrite!!”
Okay, I’m a hypocrite. So what? I don’t mean to be flip, and of course I strive not to be a hypocrite. It’s just that everyone (at least if s/he’s being honest) is a hypocrite sometimes. We all mess up. We vow to do better. We change our minds. We learn. We grow. We mess up again. We’re human.
I’ve kept this blog for over 6 years now. I GUARANTEE you that I’ve contradicted myself. I guarantee you that I’ve written posts I’m no longer proud of. I guarantee you that I haven’t always been as nice as I could have been.
The only difference between me and anyone else is that my missteps are out there on the internet for all to see and critique.
And if I don’t happen to be writing about it, you can rest assured that I’m living it.
Yes, sometimes I’m a hypocrite.
Sometimes I don’t get enough sleep and I snap at my husband.
Sometimes I don’t get enough sleep and I snap at my kids.
Sometimes I gossip.
Sometimes I judge people too quickly.
Sometimes I’m impatient.
Sometimes I’m just too damn tired to rinse out the peanut butter jar, and I throw it in the trash instead of the recycling bin which is right. next. to. it.
And you know what? I refuse to beat myself up about any of the above. If you’d like to beat me up for it, that’s certainly your prerogative. Indeed, it’s easy and convenient to make a snap judgment about someone based on one real moment (I know… I’ve done that too…) rather than recognizing each other for what we really are: fellow travelers at various ports in this journey of life. Growing through our trials, learning from our mistakes, and waking up each day with a new resolve to do better. At the end of the day, we’re not much different, you and I.
I’m not yet the person I want to be, but that’s okay…. because He’s not done working on me yet.
And thank God for that.
Jen, I love this. Your raw honesty is awesome.
It may sound sappy, but it’s true–I love you just the way you are!
great post .
Great post! I think you are amazing and poo to all the naysayers who are giving you trouble for what YOU CHOOSE to share with the world. They just need to get over it!
Ironic that I just finished reading this post by a friend on my fb page then came across yours……enjoy :)‘God bless our contradictions, those parts of us which seem out of character. Let us be boldly and gladly out of character. Let us be creatures of paradox and variety: creatures of contrast; of light and shade: creatures of faith. God be our constant. Let us step out of character into the unknown, to struggle and love and do what we will.’ Leunig ♥
Ooh, love that quote! Thank you!
dude….you didnt recycle the peanut butter container…that’s it, Im unsubbing RIGHT NOW…she says as she gazes over at the garbage can where there may or may not be a cleverly hidden plastic container…
You own your thoughts, you own your actions, you own this blog. I do not always agree with what you write, often I do. But for me, either way and whatever the outcome on my own thoughts, your words are an inspiration. Always! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Astrid
I think it takes a lot of guts to do what you do. You are opening yourself up to criticism and you still come back to blog some more. Like you said everyone is growing and at different rates. I know I am way too sensitive to not let others opinion of me and my views on life not bother me so I could not do what you do. I respect what you do and your confidence.
Yes, yes, yes! You just said what I’ve been thinking for SOOO long! Preach it sister!
I find it sad that someone like you, who is so openly honest and has such a good heart, would ever come across people who would make you feel less than perfect.
Here you are, offering advice and guidance and your opinion for the whole world to see while trying to help others, and that takes guts. Sure not everyone is going to agree with your opinions, but that’s life.
What I don’t understand is why would they comment on it?
Read a blog, take from it the information you enjoy and applies to you, and maybe even thank the person for their time.
Then leave.
Easy, right?
I think you are a great blogger. You have a real way with words, and are doing good work here.
I’m so sorry that people feel the need to try and bring you down, and I’m so impressed by the grace and composure you can keep.
🙂
Truer words I have never read. You are brave and bold for sharing so much of yourself out here. Leading by example means sometimes not living up to our own ideals, and having the guts to admit and the grace to keep trying.
Very real. I really liked this post. Thanks also for the reminder.
i’ve come to the conclusion that it might just be impossible to live completely without hypocrisy, and maybe it’s not such a bad thing. i mean as long as we’re striving for positive change, we’re in the process of sometimes behaving one way while considering a different way to be better. there’s a walt whitman quote i like: “Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.”
I love this. I recently stopped blogging because, through my personal growth, I was finding that my posts were starting to contradict each other. It was upsetting to me every time someone would point out a hypocrisy so I just decided it was time to take a break.
I love your honesty in this post and it really makes me feel better to know how common this unfortunate behavior of calling each other out actually is. We are all humans trying to do better. Without change we can never grow and with change comes the inevitable hypocrisy.
The explosion of the cyber world has made so many feel that they need to be perfect at every moment or someone might notice. Posts like these make us all feel a little better when we fall short too. Thank you for being a hypocrite!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one that feels this way!! Yes, we are all hypocrites at some point in our lives. I cannot even begin to name the times I’ve been a hypocrite!!! I’m so glad you are consistently persistent in your blogging regardless of the “haters”. I love reading your posts!!! Don’t ever stop being who God created you to be, even when it changes and makes you a hypocrite!!! <3