Who’s the jerk?

Perhaps I’m naive, but I believe that in general people want to be kind and helpful to those around them. When someone is behaving differently than that, it is usually because they are confused or worried about something, or they are in pain. That goes for you and me too. There a couple of things we can do that might help. First, we can understand that people aren’t jerks, and treat them respectfully. Treat them how you would treat them if they were the person you wished they were. It will make a difference. Second, we can help them. People may tell you what is confusing them, but the hard part is knowing what is hurting them, especially emotionally. Typically people won’t tell you if something is bothering them, and if they do, it may or may not be the real reason. It may take some investigating, but you might be able to learn what it is. In either case, sometimes just showing that you care enough to ask will be helpful. Third, we can give ourselves this same break. We often call ourselves “jerks” or far worse. We often don’t want to bother people with questions or our problems. We don’t want to feel stupid or weak. Here’s some news for you. No one knows everything. We learn by asking. We can often clear up confusion with more and better information. See what you can learn. The same is true of our emotional hurts and roadblocks. If you have a problem and its been weighing you down for a time, get help with it. It doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human. So take a moment today and look at those “jerks” around you, and realize that they are dealing with things just as you are. Perhaps there’s a way you can help each other. You can do this.