Just Worry About Katy

When I was a girl, mi Madre often reminded me: "Katy, you don't need to worry about anyone but yourself.  Let me handle this."   It was her gentle way of saying, stay out of it! Back then I was a bossy tattle-tail who had an opinion about E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G, especially if it had to do with making sure my brothers were rightfully punished for their misdeeds.  "David shouldn't have lied about sticking his fingers into grandma's chocolate birthday cake.  He should get his rehind smacked with dad's big tennis shoe, mom, right?" Again her reminder: "Katy needs to worry about Katy." 

Her wise words, now stapled to my internal forehead,  remind me to not judge others and to focus on my own problems (heaven knows the list is long).   When I read that Jessica Simpson has gained more weight, I say, "Bless her heart.  She has a stressful life." When I hear my neighbor say a bad word, I think to myself, "Some days are like that."  But when I'm at the Mesa Temple Easter Pageant, trying to get my spirituals on, and I see a lady smoking a then tossing her big cig. right in front of me, I become judgemental. "How dare she? Smoking is so Miami Vice of her. Yuck." Then I recall mi Madre's sweet reminder, "Katy needs to worry about Katy."  And then I remember Jesus loves us all, even when we smoke cigs., say bad words, and gain weight. He has to give a little extra love to us judgemental types.  We require the most forgiveness.

p.s. Something inside of me is saying that might not be a your typical Marlboro cig.  She probably smokes for medicinal reasons.  My grandma says growing old is hard and isn't for sissies (not to be sexist or anything).  Who am I to judge.

p.s.s--The tennis shoe mentioned in this story is an exaggeration.