seeing is deceiving.

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Earlier this evening, I decided to make a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up a few necessities before heading to the only place in the world I wanted to be: my bed. I strategically made my way through the aisles, zipping past the other nocturnal shoppers, trying my best to abide by my no-nonsense list of items to purchase, determined to get in and out of the store, through traffic, and into my pajamas as soon as humanly possible.

As I scratch off the remaining items on my post-it note, I get into [what appears to be] the quickest moving line, hoping that whatever price checks, cash register malfunctions, receipt paper refills, and nothing-but-trouble shoppers [who refuse to pay with anything besides exact change].. [that elusive change that conveniently always seems to dwell somewhere in the abysmal black hole that is, the bottom of their bottomless purse] are not among the things that will test my patience in this selected line o' mine.

As I'm placing my groceries on the rubber belt, I note that the elderly lady waiting in front of me has only one item to purchase and yet has decided to opt out of the designated express lane. What's more, she's carrying a baby and is beginning to engage in a non-grocery-related conversation with the cashier. Great. Then, as if the conversation isn't unnecessary enough, the lady proceeds to take the baby over to the entrance of the cashier's stand area, allowing the cashier to hold the baby and begin cooing over it.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm normally one to drop everything and go goo goo ga ga at the sight of a baby, but tonight, my haste simply wasn't allowing me to go there. And besides, by this point, I had a string of people waiting behind me. Helloo, lady? After what felt like an eternity (reality: 45 seconds) watching this cashier pour out every ounce of affection she had in her onto this baby, the two parties finally concluded the lovefest, parted ways, and it was finally my turn.

At this point, I had two options: either continue being senselessly irritated or take a chill pill and be human. So, I decided to dry gulp the chill pill and do the right thing: loosen up, smile, and comment on how adorable the supermarket-line-baby was.

Well, it turns out the infant was not just a supermarket-line-baby. The baby was none other than the cashier's very own child.

Yeah.

It turns out Karla (the cashier) works two jobs, and rarely ever has a chance to spend time with her darling Chase (the baby). The only time she can see her little boy is when Grandma brings him in to the grocery store during her evening shifts so she can spend a few quick moments with him.


oh.


Coincidentally (or not), I'm reading this book that discusses one of the most striking revelations of modern psychology -- how wildly wrong our perceptions can be. I can't help but feel like this experience was planted in my day (courtesy of Above) just to drive this point home.

It's amazing how deluded we can allow ourselves to become (and by "we" I mean, me) about the people and situations unbeknown to us and how terribly quick we can be to judge others without even realizing it. The thing is, in doing so we miss the beauty and overlook the suffering. But when you free yourself from delusion (and in my case, the effects of a painstakingly long day) you begin to see with wisdom.

Tonight, while driving home, I promised myself to make a conscious effort to seek out the inner nobility and dignity in people, especially in the people that I don't know, and notice how that can instantaneously affect my interaction with them, as well as my own heart.



FYI, I only slept 2.5 hours last night (hence my low irritability threshold as shamefully described above) and oddly enough, for the most part of the day, I've been super alert and energized. But my right eye keeps twitching. I think I may be dying.


And will you look at that, I'm finally going to make it it to bed by 10 p.m.!

Hip, hip, hoo... zzZz.

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