Mediators are people too!

One of the things I've noticed is how rapidly I form assessments of people based on speech, dress, hygiene and how this sometimes intrudes on how I feel about someone or something. While I try to keep these judgments to myself during mediation, I know I have to be mindful of myself, and keep my personal feelings or thoughts in check which might sabotage the mediation. What brings this to mind was a contestant I saw on "America's Got Talent". (I normally don't watch this kind of stuff.....honest, I don't.) Did you see it? The unshaven country bumpkin, his hat turned backwards, with a deep southern accent, whose last job was a "chicken catcher". (There goes the judgment, again.) I was prepared to be absolutely unimpressed and fully expected this individual to make a fool of himself....Suffice it to say he had the voice of an angel and the emotion that pervaded his lyrics almost brought me to tears. Lesson. Don't judge a book by it's cover, but listen for the truth and the inner story.