BUILD WALLS OR BRIDGES?

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Just finished with breakfast on this gray rainy morning when I thought that I should be checking my inbox for mails. And clear it of junk too which I do on a regular basis. Well, I got this lovely forward email from a good friend which contained a list of quotes. All good, some I've seen before, and a few I've used in my writing. But I was drawn to this particular quote which struck me as inspiring. Here's how it goes.....

"SOME PEOPLE ALWAYS THROW STONES IN YOUR PATH. IT DEPENDS ON YOU WHAT YOU MAKE WITH THEM..... WALL OR BRIDGE?? REMEMBER YOU ARE THE ARCHITECT OF YOUR LIFE." -- Anon.

Criticism ... nobody wants that word, it sounds so negative. It's unwelcome. Most would, on receiving criticism, take it as an affront offense or hurt. Well, that depends on intent. But we can separate good criticism and bad criticism easily by this simple measure: bad criticism destroys ... good criticism builds. While bad criticism blocks creativity, good criticism inspires it.

Life though is never without one or the other. In fact both are laid down on our plates just like Yin and Yang.

So then what to do with that will depend on how we understand things. Knowing ourselves well gives us an edge simply because we know both our strengths and weaknesses. Faced with what is true in both aspects we tend to respond easily with grace and open-mindedness. What should come after mistakes and being criticized for it is -- growth and wisdom.

And when people throw 'stones' at you, understand that it is not because they are more knowledgeable than you are or smarter or educated.... but rather because they have understood so little of what's happening to you or something. They didn't bother to know at all. And that already is a huge stone hurled back to their faces without you helping it along.

In fact you should be thanking them --- those who throw these stones at you. Why? Because they have, without aiming to, given you all the tools you may need for building or creating better things with it. Foremostly, they empowered you to be your better self.

As it's been said ....... It all depends on what you make with them; you are the architect of your life.