One day I was on social media, a pastime that is absolutely perfect: It both robs me of most of my limited free time and makes me feel bad about myself for not hustling hard enough. But the other day someone said that it is terrible advice to give when you tell someone to assume the best in another person. They continued by saying that it keeps abused partners with their abusers; it keeps people in emotionally and/or physically unsafe situations, and it teaches people not to trust their instincts. All of this is true. I can’t criticize it, but I’m desperate to assume the best in others because no person is just one thing. And most of the people by whom I am surrounded would never try to hurt me. It just happens sometimes.
Now, first, I am not in an abusive environment.
This series is part of Lenten practice and most will remain unfinished. I may or may not pick up the stories or themes for later posts.