I have recently learned a valuable lesson which I wish to share on this platform. We have each experienced those moments when we encounter an experience that is not new to us. However, the manner of occurrence makes it appear as though the learning is new and for the first time. This one is about being judgmental. How we are often impatient to wait for the facts and quick to jump to conclusions.
Without any further ado. I received a morning devotion one day from a friend which related a simple tale on the importance of withholding judgment until we know all the facts. It is said “a little girl had two apples. Her mother asked her to give her one of the apples. The girl took a quick bite on one apple, and then quickly on the other. Her mother was disgusted and disappointed. Then the little girl handed one of her bitten apples to her mum, and said: mummy, here you are, this one is the sweeter one [own emphasis]”. The moral of the story is that we should always defer our judgment until we know the facts.
How many of your colleagues, family members and random strangers have at one point or another found themselves in the position of the “little girl” against the “mummy” you. There is plenty in my case and often my reaction is subtle until I remind myself of this important principle. To wait for the facts. I have also been on the receiving end and became the “little girl” against “mummy” type characters. I recall an instance when I decided to offer my tip to the waiter in cash at a restaurant. This meant that I left the gratuity part on the bill blank and simply confirmed the total amount of my bill. I handed my bank card to the waiter for the payment to be processed and only handed the tip to the waiter at the end of this process. The waiter became the “mummy” and I could tell that processing the payment had become an excruciating exercise to the fellow. I could almost read his thoughts. To him I was an ungrateful customer. I did not appreciate his service and he probably thought that he had wasted the time and energy he could have spent on grateful patrons to an ungrateful one. All the while I simply wished for him to receive the tip immediately by offering it in cash.
The “mummy” character in us can be conquered by the proverbial virtuous patience. The shaping of our characters is a perpetual work in progress. This is particularly true when you appreciate that we learn and get better every day. Sometimes we do not necessarily learn, we simply just need to be reminded of what we know. If we can master the art to always allow ourselves to learn the true meaning of others’ actions and only react with knowledge, then in Rudyard Kipling’s famous words, ours will be “…the earth and everything that is in it…” and which is more, I improvise, we will be better people.
Regards
Joseph Leotlela | Director
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