“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.” Amy Lammot

If my ex-wife calls me a jerk, she earned the right. 

If the friend I let down thinks poorly of me for failing to step in when I could have, that’s his story to share.

If I tell violent stories about my dad, they’re just as true as humorous stories about him.

If you had a toxic boss who drove you to near insanity, he or she can’t fault you for expressing it. 

Every time I share this quote, someone discovers it for the first time. It’s liberating. But it also can be terrifying for people who’ve lived outside the bounds of kindness. 

The Golden Rule perfectly encapsulates what we should strive for. Yet, people are surprised when we sometimes appropriately repay unkindness with healthy criticism. 

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