A couple of months ago I was buying a fruit shake from Fruitas during my lunch break. I was blurting out how I want my drink to be made while typing something on my cellphone, so naturally, I wasn't really paying much attention to her. When I looked up to check if she's doing things right, I saw her standing there immobile with a confused look on her face. I thought she just didn't understand what I've said, so speaking slowly, I repeated everything I said. She still didn't move and continued to give me that confused look so I became a little irritated. I gestured for the fruit in front of her and she started pointing on the different sizes of cups on display. I followed her lead, though, I was still wondering what's going on. I told her I don't like to have a lot of sweetener, gesturing to her with my hands while looking at her. That's when I realized what's wrong!
Silly me! I looked at her multiple times but it took me a good long while to notice that she has an ID indicating that she is deaf. I gestured to her both my apologies and my gratitude for her service. I've always love buying at Fruitas but after that, I commend and admire them more for giving her that opportunity.
As I was walking away, that brief experience got me thinking. How many times in my life had I been looking at something right in front of me, without really seeing it? How many moments came and went by in my life utterly unnoticed and disregarded? I realized that often times, days simply pass by in my life in a blur. That sometimes I forget to appreciate the little but wonderful things which are happening around me. I end up taking things for granted because I just look pass everything and everyone, too caught up with my own little world.
It was just a trivial incident but instead of heading straight back to the office to sit down in front of my computer like I always do, I decided to spend my remaining break time to walk around the nearby park. It made me think about a lot of things. I remember the times when I will simply sit down in a coffee shop or in a park and watch idly as people are passing by. I started wondering when life had become so busy that I stopped paying attention to the things happening around me. When did life became a series of deadlines and hurried walks that I stopped caring about the strangers I see and meet everyday? And when was the last time I looked at someone and tried to see the person as he or she really is?
Often times, when we look at things and people, we only see what we want to see. Or sometimes we don't really see anything at all because we aren't truly looking. Then sometime we just simply assume that we already know everything about that person just by that one glance.
Anna, may just be some random fruit shake seller but that simple encounter with her somehow changed my perspective. She made me reflect on my current activities and made me re-think my priorities. Suddenly, I wanted to know more about that sad looking lady passing by in front of me or ask that stranger, why he looks so happy. It's like every faces I see and every person I meet has a story written in their faces waiting to be told.
That inconsequential experience made me see certain things in a whole new light. It was like a tiny pebble dropping in a pool of water sending ripples far and wide.
Image: from shutterstock.com
As I was walking away, that brief experience got me thinking. How many times in my life had I been looking at something right in front of me, without really seeing it? How many moments came and went by in my life utterly unnoticed and disregarded? I realized that often times, days simply pass by in my life in a blur. That sometimes I forget to appreciate the little but wonderful things which are happening around me. I end up taking things for granted because I just look pass everything and everyone, too caught up with my own little world.
It was just a trivial incident but instead of heading straight back to the office to sit down in front of my computer like I always do, I decided to spend my remaining break time to walk around the nearby park. It made me think about a lot of things. I remember the times when I will simply sit down in a coffee shop or in a park and watch idly as people are passing by. I started wondering when life had become so busy that I stopped paying attention to the things happening around me. When did life became a series of deadlines and hurried walks that I stopped caring about the strangers I see and meet everyday? And when was the last time I looked at someone and tried to see the person as he or she really is?Often times, when we look at things and people, we only see what we want to see. Or sometimes we don't really see anything at all because we aren't truly looking. Then sometime we just simply assume that we already know everything about that person just by that one glance.
Anna, may just be some random fruit shake seller but that simple encounter with her somehow changed my perspective. She made me reflect on my current activities and made me re-think my priorities. Suddenly, I wanted to know more about that sad looking lady passing by in front of me or ask that stranger, why he looks so happy. It's like every faces I see and every person I meet has a story written in their faces waiting to be told.
That inconsequential experience made me see certain things in a whole new light. It was like a tiny pebble dropping in a pool of water sending ripples far and wide.
Image: from shutterstock.com
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