Recently, I posted a video about aging, and I noticed some young people criticizing my perspectives. It reminded me of a profound statement by the late Bishop Dan: “Don’t criticize what you have not experienced. Don’t analyze what you have not passed through.” This wisdom holds true in many aspects of life.
Understanding Comes with Experience
You can’t truly understand why a pregnant woman walks the way she does until you’ve experienced pregnancy yourself. Just as the neck best understands the weight of the head it carries, only those who bear certain burdens can fully comprehend them.
Marriage and Parenthood
I often find young people making comments about others’ marriages or parenting styles. It amuses me until I see them get married and raise their own children. Managing a family and economy brings its own set of challenges that are hard to grasp from the outside.
Empathy in Practice
As a reggae musician once said, “He who feels it knows it, Lord.” Until you have personally experienced something, it’s easy to find faults in others. However, those individuals might be doing their best with the resources and abilities they have at that time.
Personal Reflection
I recall not understanding why my mother would call out several grandchildren’s names before eventually getting the right one. It wasn’t until I reached her age that I fully understood.
Final Thoughts
Before passing judgment, take a step back. Calm down, learn, listen, and observe. Experience brings understanding, and understanding fosters empathy.
God bless you.
