...the syndrome

....I have a phrase that I use often...I use it when referring to the kind of situation where you say something absolute and sometimes judgemental or even pious. I use it in recognition of the piety and judgemental attitude; the things I dislike so much about myself....and I am usually laughing...because I know there is truth in the phrase...or actually the "syndrome" to which I refer. I call it "Cathy Burpee Syndrome." When I was much younger, early in my catty high school years I mused out loud about a girl with facial hair...something like: "What kind of girl has hair on their face?"

Guess whos waxing and shaving now?

....thats what the phrase refers to....saying things as if they would never happen to me...and then..BLAMO...I suddenly find myself in the same circumstance which I judged or looked onto with disdain.

Knowing about the syndrome has helped, I admit, to curb some of my judgement and piety...I have lived in the aftermath of it often enough to know its cursing powers...two horrific areas...the scales...yes, I looked on at someone else and mused.."how does someone ever get to that weight?" I can tell you now firsthand...one bite at a time! The second area: finances. again, someone was talking about their consumer debt..again I mused: "how does that happen?" One can of paint and a "darling" little lamp at a time!

My point it all of this is that tonight I realized that there is possibly an upside to"CBS". It is the honesty in the aftermath of whatever life circumstance or experience has befallen me at a given time. Sometimes there is an opportunity to share what I have learned from my round with the syndrome, with someone else...and pass on some words of encouragement, to offer strength, and a little hope to another who is suffering from the syndrome as well....this weekend has opened my eyes to that. Sharing the reprucussions of my experience has given me a clearer picture of how God intended us to live in community with each other...He intended us to bear one anothers burdens, share the load...be transparent, honest....He did not intend for us to judge or presume things about other people....and although I don't believe He orchestrates "CBS", I do think He has a little chuckle when our choices throw us into it. I also think He is amazingly generous when He offers us opportunities to show His grace to others while we eat our Cathy Burpee crow....