“Everyone’s
doing their best at every moment based upon their current state of
consciousness,” Dr. David Simon, The
Ten Commitments
I was introduced to this concept while studying for my
meditation certification at The Chopra Center. It resonated with me so deeply
that I included the idea in one of my novels, The Perfect Lap.
In The Perfect
Lap, AJ Ryan’s granddad teaches him that “everyone’s doing the best they
can from where they are.” AJ listens, but he doesn’t understand what it means
until he meets Clare, the mother of the children he’s co-fostering.
So what does this statement mean?
We’re all on our own unique paths in life. We got
where we are through a series of experiences, beliefs, and choices. Because
we’ve all had different life experiences, we’re all in different places along
our path.
We evaluate situations through our lens of experiences,
and it’s natural to judge others through this lens as well. The old adage, “Don’t
judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes” is fitting. We all too
often make judgments based on what we perceive on the surface. Another piece of
wisdom I learned from Dr. Simon is that “everyone has a story.” Without knowing
a person’s background, experiences and choices…without “walking a mile in their
shoes,” it’s impossible to truly understand their story.
“The ability to observe without evaluating is the
highest form of intelligence.”—Jiddu Krishnamurti
In The Perfect
Lap, Clare appears to be a bad mother. She smokes, drinks, and leaves her
young children home alone for days on end. Like everyone, Clare has a story. After
AJ and Ella get to know her and learn her story, they realize she’s made the
best choices she could based on the options available to her.
I won’t give away a spoiler in The Perfect Lap, however, I will note that…compassion arises from understanding a person’s story.
“Everyone may
not be good, but there’s always something good in everyone. Never judge anyone
shortly because every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.” —Oscar
Wilde
This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author
of romance and women’s fiction novels with new age, spiritual twists.
The
Perfect Lap—If you like bad boys with a heart of
gold, strong women, and love stories with a spiritual twist, then you’ll adore
this racing romance novel. Purchase link: https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv
Cloud Whispers—The daughter she
gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate… To
purchase this mind-expanding, award-winning novel, click here: https://amzn.to/2Lp3b5p
To sign up for Sedona Hutton’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter,
please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/
Recommended
Reading:
Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If
you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale.
I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally
and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I
need to identify these as affiliate links.
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