Last week I shared that criticism is like a mirror...it helps us reflect on areas of life that may need some attention.

Today, I suggest we think about criticism as a brick.

Ever feel like something "hit you like a ton of bricks?" That's what criticism, especially when unexpected, feels like. In the past few months, I've been part of a couple of situations where the individuals involved were bruised by criticism. In our current society of job non-security, more and more people are experiencing the pain of a form of criticism and rejection in their employment, sometimes out of the blue. They feel like a brick hit them in the head...or in the heart.

So what do you do with a brick that's been thrown at you? Throw it back? Throw it away? Neither is wise. While a brick used destructively can hurt or even kill a relationship, bricks are also used to build solid buildings and bridges, and walkways. Criticism, when, accepted with grace, can lead to a more solid relationship and a strengthening of character. This does not mean the brick was always justified, but it is a tool you can use to make something beautiful.

Sometimes, often, if you pick up the brick, think about it, absorb what could be valuable (see the post about mirrors last week) and gently bring it back to the individual, offering it as a sincere apology for your part in the misunderstanding, you begin to bring a deeper, stronger, more honest relationship.

So, what will the results of your next brick be? A bruise? Or a bridge?