Unfair Conclusions

I confess I always jump to conclusions without pausing to think things over. The result has been that I always end up regretting my reactions.

I have also been a victim of unfair accusations by people who love to jump to conclusions like me. So, I know how problematic this habit can be.

The other day, my cousin and her husband came to visit us. We sat in the hall talking of this and that. After some time, the cousin's husband requested me to turn on the television; he wanted to watch the news.

I left the hall immediately. But, before I went away, I saw the cousin and her husband exchanging meaningful glances. Their eye conversation said it all. "We just wanted this guy to turn on the television, and he walks away. What attitude!"

I had gone to fetch my glasses from my room. I cannot read the buttons on the remote without my glasses.

I returned with my glasses, turned on the television, and hit the remote button to change to the channel that the cousin's husband wanted to watch. There were no meaningful glances exchanged now. The tension seemed to have evaporated.

It is okay to say don't jump to conclusions, but then I would never get anywhere if I were to pause to think things over every time. And, perhaps, jumping to conclusions would be harmless on most occasions like in the present case. You get to realize your mistake at once.

However, at times, it could be dangerous. I nearly got thrashed while taking photographs of birds. I was taking an evening walk; I had my digital camera with me. There were birds perched in a tree on a piece of land fenced by barbed wire. Suddenly, someone grabbed my collar from behind; it was the property owner. He thought I was taking a picture of his land for some wrong purpose. I managed to squirm out of the situation.

So,yes, even if pausing to think would slow me down a bit, I would rather count up to ten instead of reacting immediately.