I’d planned on writing an insightful column this week. One which contemplated how the sorrow and grief which follows the death of a loved one often prompts us to examine the way we live our own life. But as my fingertips rested gently on my keyboard this morning, I found I wasn’t up to it just yet.

Too many people I know have lost those who are near and dear to them this week. And even from my place on the periphery of their grief, that pain was too fresh in my heart for such a weighty topic.

I’ve always given stock to that old adage about laughter being the best medicine. There is nothing more cathartic, in my opinion, than a good belly laugh or a bit of silliness. So here is my attempt at comic relief.

I love the English language, because there are so many idiosyncrasies. One word can have a host of different meanings, some of which have positive connotations. Others, negative.

The word “judgment,” for example, has some six different definitions according to Monsieurs Merriam and Webster. It can be an “authoritative opinion,” a court decree or proposition. It can even have a biblical connotation when capitalized, in reference to the final judgment of mankind by God.

We all know that being judgmental is considered a bad thing. We’re not, for example, supposed to judge others on the color of their skin, the clothes they wear, their socio-economic status or any other factor which could be deemed prejudiced. Yet from a young age, we’re encouraged to “use our judgment.” Which is really applying what we know to evaluate a situation and form an opinion.

Let’s be honest, we all make judgments about people we’ve just met. Deny it all you want, but you know you use certain clues to determine whether or not you like someone. Maybe it’s appearance, or fashion sense. Maybe it’s their manner or presence, the topics they discuss. Or even where you meet them. Perhaps it’s gut instinct.

All of these things are subjective of course. I prefer something more concrete. Which is why I have developed a list of criteria for evaluating people I meet for the first time, to gauge whether or not we are on the same page, so to speak.