Beyond First Glance
A chance encounter in a parking lot reveals how quick we are to judge – and how much we might miss in that split second. This reflection on human nature reminds us that everyone's story runs deeper than what meets the eye.
A woman drags a shopping cart across a parking lot. Against store policy. My first thought? "How irresponsible." Judgment comes easy, like breathing.
Then I pause. What do I really know about her? Nothing. Just a snapshot of her day, her life.
Everyone carries invisible burdens. The smiling colleague might be fighting tears at home. The sloppy manager might be losing sleep over a sick child. That woman with the cart? Maybe she's racing to pick up her kids, or nursing an injury I can't see.
Our brains love shortcuts. They help us survive. See danger, run. But modern life demands more nuance. That quick judgment that once kept us alive can now blind us to human complexity.
I've done my share of questionable things. Who hasn't? One moment doesn't define a life. Can't make a good image out of a single pixel.