When you laugh at other people for trying, you condemn YOURSELF to a life of missed opportunities.  Why would YOU ever try anything, or create something that shines a light on you, when you know better than anyone, the ridicule that can come your way – you know because you ARE that – you DO that to other people.

When you laugh at someone for what they’ve created, you are trying to force THEM back inside themselves too.  It makes you feel better, to not be alone in this world of fear – this world where YOU are afraid people might laugh at you.  You’re terrified of ‘what they’ll say’, and ‘what they’ll think’, so you rob yourself of ever trying, and to make that ok, you try to rob other people of it too.

Sure, not every idea is gold, not every song, poem or book written will change the world, not every work of art is headed to the Louvre, but THEY tried, they created something, and they believed just enough to show someone – and you tried to make them feel stupid and small, to laugh them back into hiding.  

You probably don’t even really know that that’s what you were doing, but you DO know now – so what will you do next time – encourage?  Or tear down?  Two choices. It’s that easy.  It’s that simple.

Bernie xxx