Friday
November 14, 2014

Harsh Judgment

"Their family invited me to dinner," Martell said. "They think I saved the boy's life.  They're grateful."

"You don't look happy about it," I said. 

"I can't help but think if I'd been a little faster, I might have saved his hand.  I hesitated a couple of seconds before I pulled his arm out of the machine."

"Are you really going to beat yourself up because you hesitated before you stuck your hand into machinery?  What would you say to me if I told you I didn't like reaching into the garbage disposal even when it was turned off?"

Martell thought for a moment, then said, "I'd say that was pretty normal." He thought for another moment.  "It's human to fear things that can hurt us.  I still can't help but wish I'd  been a little faster, a little braver."

"And I wish you wouldn't judge yourself more harshly than you'd judge another human being."

Today I will not judge myself more harshly than I would any other person.

Relapse Prevention Group © 2014 by Ken Montrose

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