Moment of Expression--Don't Look Down on People
Hello Steemians,
So I got a very interesting mail today that inspired me to write this.
Yes, it is good to be focused, hardworking, determined, strict with good standards but in all of these, do not neglect those who truly care.
It’s safe to say, those people really cared and believed in you.
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Often times, you might have friends or relatives who you think don't measure up to your standard in terms of self-discipline, intelligence, hard work etc. When you take a closer look, you'll see that they are more than what you've tagged them to be. You just gave them a superficial look and judged them on wrong standards (Your Standards). The same way our current education system judges people's intelligence wrongly. People are different and so is the grading system.
This is a story of a friend, Jane who truly cared for a guy, for her friend (Charles). They knew each other from when they were much younger and as such, they were quite close. Over time, they lost contact with each other, Charles was out of the country and Jane was in the country doing her own thing. With the help of social media platform they reunited. They got talking and became closer, assisting themselves whichever way possible. Jane was playful with a kind heart, so most times during their discussions, she made him laugh and made him livelier.
As time went by Jane developed emotional feelings for Charles, she didn't say it out but he noticed and confronted her. So he called her one faithful day sounding all rude and bossy and told her that if she's developing feelings for him that she had better kill it because he doesn't see anything happening between them. He further went on to tell her that she's not up to his standard and if she doesn't put an end to that feeling, he'll stop talking to her. Jane felt really bad and told him that there were better ways to have relayed that rather than how he said it.
Jane did all she could to curb the feeling, she continued checking up on him, if he had issues, she assisted whichever way she could. But after a while Charles changed, he went as far as responding to her chat monosyllabically, in areas where her grammar was wrong during their conversation, he mocked her and insulted her.
Jane questioned him to know if she had wrong him or if something was up that he's having challenges with but he told her nothing. Jane became irritated with his actions and attitude and thus left him to his fate.
After some years, he came back apologizing, saying he didn't realize the kind of friendship he had, he told her that he felt they wouldn’t work since she was subpar to him educationally and socially, hence he had to cut her off. He later realized that the kind of life he had been living was just too rigid, it became boring, and he had no real friend that could relate to him like Jane.
Charles begged her to teach him to be playful, how to see things from a different perspective, how to be romantic, how to be caring etc. He told her to compliment his way of living as more than a friend. Jane accepted to be his friend but told him it was already too late to be more than a friend. He had already burnt that bridge.
This story I believe should be an eye-opener to those who neglect true friendship. It is said that you do not know what you have till it is gone. Be focused, be disciplined, be hardworking, be determined but in all of that, if you find that friend that makes your life less rigid and complicated or that person that doesn't remind you how choked up your life is, don't neglect them.
There's this popular quote that says" all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy".
Therefore, appreciate those around you that overlook your excesses that condone your ill behaviour, that tolerates your faults and still wants to be there for you because a time will come when you'll get tired of yourself and realize you can't even be with a person like yourself.
Give room for fun, for flexibility, for true friends.
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This is so true. We often judge people by the world standards, neglecting how much talent they have inside. It is always a bad thing to judge people even before we know them fully. Charles learned the hard way, and we all have our limits. She reached hers and now there was no going back for her, with all the ridicule she got from him.
We should learn to be flexible and accept people the way they are. We should learn to help them in ways we can, even if we feel they are not up to our own "standard". No man is an island of knowledge. We are all learning in life.
Thanks a lot for this. I really learned from it.
Na the fact be this...
Many judge people with their physical appearance. However most of the people we think less of end up surprising us.
Thank you for this piece. Lesson learnt.
Yes sir, this is absolutely truth. Some people make their decision and judge people on their physical look without moving closer. You have said it all sir, but my little contribution is, we shouldn't look down on anyone, either friends, neighbours, relatives or family because nobody knows tomorrow. Someone we look down today be in position to help us tomorrow. Stay strong sir.