A young lady found herself waiting for her flight in the boarding room of a busy airport. As she anticipated a long wait, she decided to pass the time by indulging in a book and a packet of cookies. Seeking some solace, she settled down in the cozy armchair of the VIP room.
Soon after, a man took a seat next to her and immersed himself in his magazine. To her dismay, as soon as she reached for her first cookie, the man did the same. Irritation rose within her, but she chose to keep her frustrations to herself. Yet, deep down, she couldn’t help but think, “What nerve! If I wasn’t so nice, I would give him a piece of my mind.”
With each subsequent cookie she took, the man mirrored her actions. This only heightened her frustration, but she didn’t want to make a scene. By the time there was only one cookie remaining, she couldn’t help but wonder, “What will this rude man do now?”
To her surprise, the man took the last cookie and divided it into two halves, offering her one. This was the last straw! She was seething with anger. Collecting her belongings in a huff, she stormed off to the boarding area, feeling indignant and betrayed.
As the hours passed on the plane, she found it difficult to let go of what had transpired. Her mind was consumed by the incident, making it impossible for her to focus on her book. How dare that guy, right?
However, when she reached into her purse to retrieve her reading glasses, she made a shocking discovery. Her packet of cookies remained untouched and unopened, right where she had left it. A wave of shame washed over her as the truth dawned on her – she was the one who had been wrong all along.
She had completely forgotten that her cookies were safely stowed away in her purse. The man had been sharing his own cookies with her, without bitterness or anger, while she had been consumed by unjustified rage, assuming she was sharing her cookies with him.
Regret washed over her, but it was too late to explain herself or offer an apology. She learned a valuable lesson that day, one that resonated deeply – there are four things in life we can never recover: the stone after it’s thrown, the word after it’s spoken, the occasion after it’s lost, and the time after it’s gone.
Remember, appearances can often be deceiving, and it’s worth taking a moment to consider the circumstances before passing judgment too quickly.
