[desmond tutu]

I have these books that are filled with quotes of famous leaders. I pulled out the one called “Believe: The Words and Inspirations of Desmond Tutu” last night. A few hit me hard. I just think these words are so powerful, both as things for me to work on, as well as ways I hope other people will treat me.

Utter only the words of which we won’t be ashamed afterwards, which we won’t regret saying. It is easy to discourage, it is far too easy, all too easy to criticize, to complain, to rebuke. Let us try instead to be more quick to see even a small amount of good in a person and concentrate on that. Let us be more quick to praise than to find fault. Let us be more quick to thank others than to complain – “thank you” and “please” are small words, but they are oh, so powerful.

I know that first one is pretty much straight at my heart. I’m quick to speak. I rarely censor myself. & while I love that I’m honest and upfront, I don’t think that being quick to speak is necessarily a good thing at all times. It’s unfair to say unkind things, just because you can. “Let us try instead to be more quick to see even a small amount of good in a person and concentrate on that.” I love those words. I believe that we’re all here for a reason: that every person is good, that every person deserves to be shown and taught to love. Life makes some people hard, but I don’t think that has anything to do with how good they are—everyone has good within them. The last part, about showing gratitude is so important. I’ll be honest, there are times when I whine and complain and drag my feet. But, honestly, I’m happier when I’m grateful and when I decide to be happy. I feel it’s just this decision: you either choose to be grateful for what you have, or you choose to feel sorry for yourself. But the second choice isn’t going to make you happier.

We should be generous in our judgments of others, for we can never really know all there is to know about another.

I love this quote. You can never know what someone is going through. You can never know why they act or react the way they do. & maybe that’s the best way for it to be. It’s important to love people, not choose who you feel like loving. It’s important to understand that we don’t always understand each other. It’s important to know that we don’t know everything. I just think when you walk around acting like you understand how someone’s heart works, that’s unfair.
When I read this quote I immediately thought of someone who has more-than been there for me, the past year. Someone who showed me love, even when they didn’t understand how my crazy head and crazier heart work. Who showed me kindness when they didn’t need to. I just think that’s love—being able to say everything and know that even if they think you’re a little nuts, they’ll be kind and patient. If there is anything I could choose to be perfect at, I would pick this. I just think it’s so important to be kind and to not try to understand people, but to be understanding towards them. There’s just such a difference.

Instead of seperation and division, all distinctions make for a rich diversity to be celebrated for the sake of the unity that underlies them. We are different so that we can know our need of one another.

Oh my goodness I love this. There are very few things I hate more than this typical American attitude. I’m so sick of hearing that people need to “learn our language” or that they should “go back to where they came from” or whatever. I truly believe that is ignorance. We’re so afraid of letting our country have any sort of change. & I think that’s sad. We’re missing out. Every time someone decides that someone else is unworthy of love or respect because of a language barrier, or whatever else, that’s terrible. I believe we can learn from people of different backgrounds, of different circumstances, if we allow ourselves to. People just feel threatened by differences or change. If we would embrace them, though, I think we would realize how much we could grow. I think we would realize we need each other. I think we would find out that differences help us grow.