Our Habit of Snapping to Judgment

Dear friends,

This is a story that has made the rounds over the years, but is just too good not to share…

There was a businesswoman sitting in the airport waiting for her flight. A gentleman sat down next to her. Her open bag of mini-cookies was between them. She reached in, grabbed one, and started to munch. A moment later he smiled at her and he reached in and grabbed one himself, not saying a word. She was appalled that he would be so forward, but set aside her indignation and reached in for another one. He smiled at her and did the same. This then happened a third time. What nerve! She’d have been inclined to share with him had he asked, but she was shocked that he would just forge ahead and take one, with a smile no less! This repeated one more time, and just as she was about to let him have it, the boarding call came.

She got up and left the now empty (thanks a lot, buddy!) bag of cookies between the two seats. She boarded, settled down, looked in her large purse, and found… her partially eaten bag of cookies. Those were his cookies they were eating! His smile was at her forwardness, but was also filled with kindness. She now felt both mortified that she had finished his bag of treats, and ashamed at the contrast between her judgmental attitude and his generosity of spirit. While she had been fuming he had been treating her kindly and as an old friend.

We need to deeply accept that we never know everything there is to know about what is going on around us. We equally do not really know other people's histories and backstories. We do not know their subconscious pushes and pulls (or even our own!). May we each show as much generosity as that fellow in the waiting area, and may we not be so swift to judge. After all, it’s a long way down when we fall off our high horse. :-)

Blessings,
David G., manager
For the staff at East West