Yesterday, my friend Joan made a comment on Facebook about a painful interaction with someone in her life. “I’ve been looking at myself through the eyes of someone who doesn’t love me, but trying to see love.”

My response to her was this: “If you are looking at yourself through the eyes of someone who doesn’t love, appreciate or respect you, don’t borrow their eyes and don’t loan them yours. Instead, gaze at yourself through the peepers of those who admire, adore and feel blessed that you are in their lives. In that way, you can become spiritual-eyesed. Thank you, Joan for that in-sight.”

As I contemplate the meaning of the material that came through me as if channeled, I became acutely aware of the times I had been in that very position. Although I really have no way of knowing who loves me and who doesn’t, since love can look all different ways, I do know when I FEEL loved and when I don’t. To me, love is a verb; an action word. Love need not be earned. It is something that ought to come with us at birth, as if factory installed. When we live as if we ARE love, than engaging in loving acts comes naturally. I ask myself often:  WWLD- What Would Love Do?  And then, as often as possible, I do it.

Admittedly, there are times when I view people and circumstances through the eyes of fear and judgment, being human and all. I judge when folks intentionally do violence in word or action, when they disrespect the environment by polluting and otherwise trashing the air, water and land. I judge when people are short sighted and only live for the moment, rather than caring about leaving a peaceful and healthy planet for the next generations. I judge when people don’t help someone in need, even though they have the ability to do so. I judge when people wage war, to take what is not theirs, or because of a difference in ideology. I judge when people use religion as a front and excuse for abuse, demeaning and constraining rights. THAT to me is tantamount to ‘taking God’s name in vain.’ I judge when people put others down because they choose to love differently than they do.

I judge myself for judging. When I am in that place of critiholism, it is as if my metaphorical glasses are smudgy and I can’t see clearly.

When I remember that we are all Divine creations from the same Source, I am called to see all people and circumstances in that light. It doesn’t mean that I don’t have preferences and don’t have the need to take a stand and speak up. I can tell when I am doing it from love or from judgment. When I am in that place of love, compassion and healing, I am a greater force for good in the world.