Walking downtown the other day, I turned a corner and saw a woman facing into a window. I disliked her in an instant; allow me to explain.
There is a small, knee-high, brick ledge running the length of a set of windows. The woman was older, the kind of woman who carries a purse of such size that you wonder what all can possibly be stored in there. Her dog would fit into her purse, had she been so inclined; a little yorkshire terrier, a perfect fit for the woman herself.
Why did i dislike her? She had that dog up on that ledge, and was attempting to press the poor pooch’s nose into the glass, despite the obvious signs the dog was giving off that it had no interest in being on that ledge or looking into that window. Snap, instant dislike.
Anyone who catches my attention for almost any reason - keeps it, and I had my eyes pinned to this little scenario as I walked towards that woman and her poor dog. As I approached, a shadow crossed the glass that the dog was pressed against, and the glare that had prevented me from seeing inside was gone. Where I had been blind, I could suddenly see, and had to reverse my judgement.
Perhaps a dozen smiling children were pressed against the other side of that glass; little kids, four or five years old at the most, and they all looked utterly thrilled to have that dog in their window.
What’s odd to me is that it’s been probably about a week since I saw that little scene, and out of all the participants, I’m probably the only one who remembers it. Because I made a snap judgement, and I was wrong; because it never fails to amaze me what a new perspective will bring to things.
April 11th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
Yeah, you finally posted this.
I have to comment to say that when he told me this story I had exactly the same reaction. First it was “crazy ass lady showing her dog some trinket in the window.” Then it switched to total support when I found out kids were involved.
Sometimes it is too easy to judge with too little information.
April 11th, 2006 at 7:46 pm
Thanks finite jester, this is just the message I needed to receive tonight!
What we originally “emotionally” think or interpret in response to an event is usually NOT correct. It’s an obvious observance, but one we most often forget. Emotion has an evil way of wiping out other important information.
Like I said, I needed this advise very badly tonight. I think I’ll celebrate instead of mope.
April 11th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
Welcome to the club, of which I’m often unknowingly a card carrying member. It is somewhat reassuring, though, to learn that the club at last tally had at least 6.5 billion active, dues-paying members and that members who during club mystery rituals succeed in spite of all odds in seeing behind the glass receive secret and highly personal honors which often paradoxically and unexpectedly restore a sense of meaning and direction to their lives. And the weird thing about all this is that typically, whenever I take a conscious stand on some matter - such as I’m doing right now in this reply – I will soon sorely need to put into practice whatever ideas or conclusions I happen to be communicating. Want to hear something even weirder? This time it happened, via an unexpected phone call, as I was writing this post. And thus I thank you, Finite Jester.
‘Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.’ (Edgar Allan Poe)
April 12th, 2006 at 6:52 am
Nice quote, Aye. That sums up my thoughts perfectly.