It is not my job to define another person based on his/her attitudes, actions, or beliefs. It is my job to define and discover who I am and what/who I will or will not allow into my space and allow you to do the same.
My life is my story. My story is unique and individual. God has a specific and loving plan for me. He has the same for you.
Allow me to be different than you. Allow me to feel differently. Allow me to have separate opinions, tastes, ideas, looks, dreams... Allow me to believe something contrary to what you believe without thinking that my belief includes a judgment of you. Allow me to have the space to grow and learn. Do not allow me to over-run your boundaries. I will try to do the same for you.
In my own life and in today's society, I see such a problem with boundaries. Our lives would all be so much better if we could just take responsibility for that which is ours to be responsible for and if others would do the same.
One of my all-time favorite books is Changes that Heal by Dr. Henry Cloud. Let me share some great boundary quotes with you!
"Our attitudes and beliefs are our responsibility, not someone else's. Other people's attitudes and beliefs are their responsibility, not ours."
"There are certainly things in life over which we have no control, but we always have a choice about how well we will respond to these things. Our choices determine our direction in life, but if we do not own this fact, we don't know where we are going, and we resent where we end up as if it were someone else's fault."
"Love cannot exist without freedom, and freedom cannot exist without responsibility....Freedom comes from taking responsibility; bondage comes from giving it away."
"We all must be longsuffering and forgiving in relationships, but, at some point, longsuffering enables evil behavior to continue, and limits must be set."
I hope we can all more clearly define who we are and what we stand for without squashing others!!
Much Love ----
Heather
