Yes, without a doubt this has been one of the roughest years in my life, but please, do not judge.

Yes, the doctor 3 years ago (almost exactly) failed to tell me that I had a second rare tumor which meant that it had the chance to grow for two additional years before being found if almost by accident this past January. This resulted in a surgery in March which kept me out of work for 3 months. Some people criticized me for saying 'too much' while others were the support I needed to get through another 1/100,000,000 unbelievable event. Please do not judge the doctor because I have forgiven her for her oversight (or whatever it was) I refuse to carry the burden of hate and anger. Will I ever go back to see her, not a chance, but neither will I defame her name.

Please, do not judge.

The school shooting that occurred almost 3 years ago (the same week as the doctor visit) still haunts my dreams and causes me to jump at loud noises; sometimes I still cry when I hear a particular song. I cannot even begin to understand why Carl did what he did and forgiveness is a BIG word, but I refuse to carry the burden of the anger and hate with me.

Please, do not judge.

We loved our Roarke and had him for such a short time but he was just what Mark & I needed and we wept big ugly tears of love and admiration for a "mean & aggressive" Rottie who really was just a shining example of what I wish some humans would strive for. The incident with Sarge is heartbreaking...gut wrenching. One minute he was on his back letting me scratch his belly then sitting up and eating treats out of my hand and in a blink of an eye he was attacking me for reasons I do not know. Please, do not judge. Don't judge the dog, his previous owners, or us. I am having a hard time understanding why on an interstate as busy as I-70 no one, NOT ONE PERSON stopped to help us when we were clearly in extreme distress, but that seems to be where our nation is right now. Shame on those people who turned a blind eye when they drove by. Clearly I haven't forgiven them but I am sure I will...I have forgiven far worse in my lifetime.

Please, do not judge.

You see the world is full of things that we can't explain and will never understand...please, do not judge, rather reach out and help someone who needs it, regardless of who they voted for in the most recent election.

Exercise forgiveness. Exercise understanding. Exercise empathy.  Listen and exercise grace while they are trying to heal.

Don't offer pity platitudes in place of a simple, "I am so sorry..." or "I won't pretend to understand..."  Please don't insert yourself into someone else's grief or trauma. If you weren't 'there' or have not experienced the same situation don't pretend like you did and by all means please refrain from claims that you were somewhere and in some situation that you were not. If you have not walked in someone else's shoes then don't pretend that you have because by doing that you diminish their experience and shift a rather selfish focus to yourself rather than an empathetic attitude toward them and what they may be going through. 

Please, do not judge what someone else is going through because the lens in which you view life may not be the same as someone else.

"Live a life of integrity and practice grace daily."

RoarkeThis is our beloved Roarke just 2 short months after we adopted him.