My friend posted a Marcus Aurelius quote today on Facebook:
“If someone is able to show me that what I think or do is not right, I will happily change, for I seek the truth, by which no one was ever truly harmed. It is the person who continues in his self-deception and ignorance who is harmed.”
It’s such an interesting challenge–to not be offended by correction. I get that the ego clings to the idea of “self-rightness” as part of its identity. Maybe it’s for that reason that we often feel compelled to point out others’ “wrongness”–just to reinforce our own sense of “correctness” of thought/opinions/behavior.
In chaplaincy training, there is an emphasis on remaining “curious” and “open” to whatever people need to express/explore. To not judge or condemn–but to walk beside them as they make sense of who they are and what they are going through. Through a “ministry of presence,” we accompany people through their sadness and anger until they are able to tap into their inner resources of strength, healing, and meaning. That emphasis on curiosity could go a long way in our everyday lives as we respond to others’ attitudes and behaviors–including correction.