Our Inner Critic

Cruel sentiments
Sometimes boil over
Into conversation.
Our inner critic
Is contagious.

What we think,
And how we feel
About ourselves,
Sometimes gets projected
Onto others.

We have been criticized
By someone in our lives,
Someone who is
Very important to us.
And, so, we do the same.

Sometimes,
I catch the critical words
Before they reach my mouth,
Realizing,
They are not what I want to say.

It is so automatic, though,
That sometimes, it bursts out,
Undetected,
Until it is too late,
And, like someone once did to me,

I hurt someone
With cruel words,
Insensitive, critical, judgmental.
And, most of the time,
I don’t really mean it.

It just pops out,
Because it is part of who I am.
It doesn’t matter,
If I reject it as wrong
In my head.

I must take responsibility
For my harsh words,
My condescending attitude,
My cruel disposition.
I must admit my mistake

To those whom I hurt.
Even if it means,
I am going to be
Knocked down
A few pegs.

I don’t need to be
High and mighty,
Anyway.
I need to be humble,
Honest, compassionate.

I need to be,
Just me.