Whose Cookies Are Those?
Dear friends,
This is a story I heard many years ago that I have shared here in the past, but it is just too good not to share again…
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 again 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 reach in 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 both her judgmental attitude and at how generous of spirit he was, making the contrast all the more obvious. While she had been fuming he had been treating her as one would treat an old friend.
We never know everything there is to know about what is going on around us. Forgive my forwardness, but we are remarkably arrogant when we hold thoughts in our head as if we know the backstory on everyone and every situation we encounter. There are an unfortunately large number of times where I barely know why I am doing what I am doing, and that's after a lifetime of serious introspection and mental house cleaning. I surely do not know why other people do what they do! I have no right to judge others, especially based on assumptions I cannot even be sure are correct.
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