Something Taught Can Be Unlearned

My first memories begin when I was about 4 years old, I remember my fourth birthday, where we lived, interacting with my family and my very first friend. I also remember the beginning of being influenced by the outside world. We are instantly conditioned by our environment to begin judging and to know we are being judged. This is good, this is bad, this is ugly, this is pretty, and so on and so on. Yes there are certainly things we can all agree on that are "bad", this would be what I call common sense. I am referring to the never ending and always changing labels that from a very young age we are taught to put on everything in our world or are realized that they are being put on us. We are victim to good and bad labels. As a child I grew up in a stable loving family, I attended quality schools where I succeeded and received my fare share of gold stars, attended a well known and respected religious "club" and over all received and strived for "my" good labels. Our well meaning families, teachers, church leaders and government strive to teach us all the things they feel important in order for us to thrive in this world and live happy productive lives.... they also taught us how to judge, judge everything! Depending on when and where your spaceship landed on this journey the labels and judgements varied... I know I said spaceship... don't judge me Ha! So, I noticed this behavior in my self very clearly a few years ago, and I don't believe a single one of you can say you have not also been conditioned to judge. I decided to explore how different my life would be with awareness of judging and working on trying to see my world without labels. Accept things the way they are, not good or bad. Judging someone or something does not make it that, it simply just makes you someone who judges. I will end this admitting this journey of non judging has not been easy and continues to be something I work at every day... stick around and I will share my successes and failures with you... did you catch that! I just judged myself Ha! told you it wasn't easy ~ Jacque