okay . . . and now for a REAL comment . . .
yeah ummm, I get judged on my past EVERY DAY. There is not a day that passes that someone doesn't bring up something I've done in my past that I'd much rather forget. But it's gotten to the point now that I even FUEL it myself, just to avoid getting angry about hearing it from someone else. It is exceedingly difficult not to judge others, based on what we've heard, or a superficial, cursory meeting, but it's not really our place to do so, I agree. I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, because my friends, I mean, my REAL friends, know that at heart, I'm not a bad guy, even if I don't make the best first impression. All you can do now is resolve not to CONTINUE to judge others - any judging you've done in the past has indeed molded you into who you are now, and was perhaps even a protection in some ways, as you mentioned. But just try not to judge books by their covers, just as you dislike when people do to you - the good ol' Golden Rule. Sorry that response was so long.