December 24: Pre-judging
I was on a train in China with my hiking partner. The train’s departure time was delayed. We sat across a table from a man and woman who looked to be in their late twenties or early thirties. The delay in departing went on and on. Like us, the couple we sat across from had brought a large bag of snack foods onto the train.
“They remind me of us,” I said in a voice they could clearly hear. I didn’t think this couple spoke English. “Kind of cute, but nerdy. And look,” I said. “They’ve already eaten all their snacks, and we haven’t even left the station.”
Finally, the train took off. About half an hour into the ride, the man across from us smiled. So, where are you guys from?” he asked in perfect English.
We can prejudge people to be gods and saints, then become disappointed when we find out they’re not. We can assume that others have nothing to teach us because of their humble or simple lifestyles. Some people say that to assume makes an ass out of u and me. Usually when I assume, it simply irritates other people and makes an ass out of me.
Inventory Focus: A re you prejudging a situation or a person right now? Do you have a history of pre-deciding how something or someone is going to be, then plowing ahead based on that decision instead of staying aware and open? Is life trying to get your attention right now? Sometimes circumstances change. There’s no substitute for daily awareness.
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