Shame on Me

Over the past couple years I have seen a lady randomly at Walmart or the grocery store that I know. I went to school with her kids, and she's seen me lots over the years. Secretly, I never thought she liked me. Maybe that mindset influenced my thinking. Anyway, the last couple years when I've seen her out and about, she didn't speak to me. I, of course, being the wise woman I think I am, assumed now that I'm all grown up, she can act upon her dislike of me and not speak. I thought she was kinda rude and uppity and just left it at that. A couple days ago, I ran into some people who know her and they asked me in conversation if I had heard that she had been stricken with an eye disease and could hardly see. Whoa! Slap me upside my head! What a classic mistake of misreading a person's actions without knowing the whole story! She probably didn't even see me at those stores or if she did, she probably didn't even recognize me! I told them I had not heard of her misfortune, being careful not to let on that my own insecurities had made up quite another story for her behavior in my mind. Shame on me. Let this be a reminder for all of us....don't assume slight or condescension (spelling?) when none might be intended; also, since you don't know what's going on with people, don't judge them by just what you see taking place right then. Shame again on me...I know better. And hopefully I'll remember this lesson for awhile to come!