"Be kind whenever possible. ALWAYS possible." – The Dalai Lama
There is so much truth in this that it couldn't be any more. Don't believe it? Are we trying to prove you wrong? Then read these stories, which will give you a slightly different perspective on everything.
At the grocery store, you notice a woman who is overdressed for the season. You knew, that she left the house for the first time in two weeks today because she was being treated for depression? No, don't say that depression is nothing, that you can get over it like a cold! It's easy to say: "Everything will be fine, just calm down!" If you've never been depressed or don't know anyone who has, you have no way of knowing what it's like!
The nurse who cared for you or your family members seemed too emotional and distracted. Did you know, that she lost a patient moments ago? She doesn't have time to process the pain, deal with what happened, because she has to take care of you first. Her tears and pain must wait. Try your best. Why do you judge if you don't know what is going on inside the person? Don't assume, be kind.
You call 113, wait for them to pick up the phone. It annoys you. Think to yourself: "They're having coffee again." When they answer, you don't like the voice of the person on the other end. It seems to you that he is rude, arrogant. It's easy to get the tone of voice wrong. Did you know, that the person who contacted you listened to the cry and pain of a mother with three children who were beaten by a drunken father and husband for half an hour in front of you? She did everything she could to calm the woman down. Suffocating, she held back tears and took the next call. Village. You waited maybe 30 seconds to complain about your neighbor's noise.
You are late for work. You are in a hurry. A policeman stops you. You are angry, impatient. It tells you that you are speeding. It seems to you that he does not like you, that he is rude, that he has evil eyes. You almost want a fight to break out between the two of you. Did you know, that he answered a call yesterday, then found a young woman who had committed suicide? He knew her, she was related to his best friend. You are his first customer since then. Breathe! He's just doing his job, the best way he can at that moment.
Before you get mad at the man or woman who rejected you, stop for a moment. Did you know, that he/she went through difficult things in life? He is used to being alone, he doesn't want to be hurt, rejected anymore, he has been too many times. He/she would like to give you a chance, but at the moment he/she doesn't know how. He/she is afraid. He/she is afraid that you will hurt him/her too. It's not personal, give him/her a chance to trust you.
You have just been involved in a car accident. You are nervous, scared, shaken. Your passenger is trapped in the vehicle and the firefighters are trying to get him out of the vehicle as soon as possible. You panic. Go back and forth. You want to know what's going on! Walk up to the fireman. He doesn't respond, just stares through you. Your emotions get the best of you and you start screaming. He sees through you. He can't hear you. No, he's not rude. Did you know, that he remembered the accident where he helped like you did today, but everything didn't turn out well? In his mind, he sees an event that will haunt him for the rest of his life. Despite all efforts, his team's efforts failed to rescue the passenger who was trapped inside the vehicle at the time. All of this is happening in his mind, this very moment.
Do you understand now? Do you understand that you never know what struggles the other person is going through? Sometimes we're alone on the other side, we're having a hard day and we wouldn't be comfortable being judged, would we?
Everyone does the best they know and can do at a given moment. The next time you feel like judging someone, take a moment to think and give them some sympathy instead a kind word or a smile. Maybe that's all they needed at that moment!
