Be curious, not judgmental.
-Walt Whitman
I see wisdom in this Whitman quote.
When we are judgmental, aren’t we waiting on a certain outcome? Depending on the outcome we get, with judgment, don’t we ping pong between happiness, sadness, embarrassment, anger, and other emotions? Or don’t we employ denial to undo the obvious implications of the outcome? Don’t we reason and cast blame unnecessarily?
With judgment, aren’t we constantly jumping about between the past, present, and future, hoping we can land on a time that suits our wishes?
When we are curious, aren’t we more open? When we are open to what can occur, don’t we tend to experience wonder, interest, humor, and even excitement at what happens? With curiosity, don’t we engage in the present and watch it unfold, accepting the results as they come in? As we watch curiously, don’t we adapt and adjust to what is, further experimenting curiously if we must?
Perhaps most importantly, when we catch ourselves being judgmental, instead of blaming ourselves and forcing ourselves further down the path of judgment, can’t we simply be curious about how the mind works at times?
Judgment, although not optimal, is normal, and curiously enough, it’s not necessary to add further judgment to it. Is it?