I don't know who said this, wasn't mentioned in the email I received. But it's sure one good quote. What it says is this ----- "You can tell more about a person by what he says about others than you can by what others say about him."Now as I understand it we are more inclined to listen to what people say about others and from there make our own judgment about that person. I used to, that was before I learned that people are not always correct in their judgements. That includes myself. No kidding abut that.
Until on this one particular day (in high school) when I found my big BIG lesson. This friend, let's call her Patty, was singing praises about her other friend -- speaking with such high adulation about Wendy's achievements, her sweet temperament, being smart, and etc etc etc. Added that I should meet her. Okay, I was curious now to meet this person who seemed to be after my job as best friend to Patty.
So we met. Pretty, big brown eyes, long black hair, fair skin. She would stick out in a crowd indeed. And we girls talked the usual 'girl talk'. Clothes, shoes, handbags, cute boys, brownies and ice cream, monster teachers. And I sat there and listened intently to her chatter. She knew the latest fashion trends, knew almost every high school boy worth knowing, and carried on a monologue on the worst teachers she met alongside some of the girls she considered boring - bland - stupid - geeky - ugly - lousy dressers - and weird.
Then it hit me hard like a huge rock to my head --- she wasn't the girl Patty so admired after all. What came out of her mouth belied the nice smart sweet person Patty praised so highly to me. She was pretty alright.... but her mind and heart was not!
When I got back home that day I thought about Wendy. If I may have in the past sounded like her spewing out negative jibes at people and things, then the people listening to me right there would have reacted towards me so much the same as I had reacted towards Wendy. Awful, isn't it?!!
Well, to cut a long story short, this one high school girl learned one big lesson out of school that day. Sometimes the best lessons can be found outside the classroom too without the help of books.
Yes,if we are alert we can learnt a lot just by watching others.The world outside is a bigger class room than the one in the school.
ReplyDeleteHello Ms.Ellen..it is actually hard to judge a person at first sight..a person may look kind or rude..but you can always see the character of a person by the way she talks and treat others. Sometimes knowing the person more can make us realize that she was not so good after all.I have experiences before when I had so many friends..I had friends who have different personalities..some I have judged to be kind and caring,so I gave them more importance than others..but when I was at the lowest time that I needed someone..those friends whom I thought should be there..they just fade away..and those persons whom you least expected are the ones who have been there for you in the end :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, KP -- "The world outside is a bigger class room than the one in the school." So much to learn from life itself. Thanks for dropping by. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's true in life, Sie. Happened to me too. But we don't get just the good from life... the jerks also come to mess it up. Don't let it affect you and your day or your life as a whole. They don't matter. Just treasure those who have proven to you their worth as persons and friends.
ReplyDeleteSee you around, Sie. Take care. Blessings!