This past weekend, I had the opportunity to totally lose my marbles.

Afterword, during a conversation with a friend, I said,

“I feel like this has been coming for awhile. I have mentioned my concerns and they have been ignored.”

“Not ignored,” my friend said. “There’s been ignorance.”

An important distinction.

Why?

Because ignoring someone or something is a choice, and (at least for me) it’s hard not to take that choice personally.

Ignorance, however, indicates a lack of information/attention/perception.

It’s not personal, it’s situational.

So the next time you find yourself picking up your marbles from all over the floor, double check with yourself (or a friend! A friend can be super useful) as to whether or not the words or actions that set you off were due to your needs being ignored, or ignorance.

It will make cleanup far more effective.

Interested in more distinctions around accountability? Take a look at, “I Made a Mistake vs. I Made a Bad Decision”