I compare myself to no one. Each day I count my blessings and set my sights on being a better version of myself.
There’s always room for improvement, IMHO.
I struggle, though, with trying to remain tolerant of others while feeling the need to ‘speak up’ in the face of evil and wrongdoing. The phrase “In order for evil to flourish it requires good men to do nothing.” looms large in my heart.
On a personal level, I try to be kind, forgiving, and tolerant and I save my ‘speaking out’ for topics, ideologies, and policies. I can ‘love’ individual people but in no way feel that I have any requirement to approve of their actions or philosophies.
I can be influenced by well-reasoned arguments, but I can never be bought, shamed or intimidated into doing (or believing in) anything I feel is unethical or immoral. Ultimately this makes me sometimes sound opinionated and/or intolerant of those who believe ‘making waves’ is ‘hate’ and uniform compliance is ‘kindness’.
With all due respect, I don’t allow the opinions of others to define me or threaten me, because I never lose sight of my faithfulness to God and being able to live with myself.
As far as forgiving myself, here’s a song I taught my day care kids many years ago. I still live by it. Enjoy!
Sillyfrog's Blog 
Thanks Susan for sharing your thoughts. One should always stand by your values, as long as they are just. I like your statement of not letting others dictate what your behavior should be like.
Thank-you, Sadje.
You’re most welcome