Stop Being Judgmental

There have been several occasions when I was at the receiving end of a misunderstanding. That should have taught me that it is dangerous to be judgmental and to jump to conclusions. But, no. Despite being a victim of misunderstandings, I have not been able to stop being judgmental. I suppose it is human nature.

This incident happened several decades ago. I completed school, and it was now time to join a college.

After studying in a school that was known for its strict discipline, college life was absolute freedom.

The college was around seven kilometers from home, and I had to take a bus every day. There were quite a few bullies in the college, and I felt scared of them.

One day, the classes got over early, and I took a bus back home. Some boys surrounded me when I got out of the bus at the stop; they were from the same college and seemed to have traveled on the same bus. One of them punched me hard on the face.

This sudden attack caught me unawares.

"Why were you grinning at me?" the boy, who punched me, asked.

I was surprised. I had not seen the boy before. I was not even aware that he had traveled on the same bus.

I could not say why he behaved that way. Perhaps, on the bus, I might have looked in his direction with unseeing eyes as we often do when we are in the midst of a large crowd. Possibly, I might have smiled at some thought of my own, or perhaps my face was like that. Whatever be the reason, he must have thought I was mocking him.

I was still very fresh in college and quite timid. The boy was definitely older than me; besides, he had quite a few friends along with him. I thought it wise to walk away without saying anything.

The fellow had hit me real hard, and my cheek had swelled up like a balloon. I went to a nearby public hospital; I wanted the swelling to subside by the time I reached home so that my parents would not start inquiring.

I felt quite fearful for a few days about going to the bus stand to catch a bus to the college. But I could not avoid it. But I never got to see that boy again.