Parable on Rash Judgement

It's because I had this habit of collecting inspirational quotes, articles and stories from newspapers, magazines and books that I read, I had this one in my bulk of collection. It is an article from an old newspaper, (in Father BEL R. SAN LUIS's column "Word Alive"). Read this, it's so inspiring!                                                                            
                                                                                  ***

                     A young lady was waiting for her flight in the boarding room of a big airport.

                     As she  would need to wait many hours, she decided to buy a book to spend her

                    time. She also bought a packet of cookies.

                                                                                    

                     She sat down in an armchair, in the VIP room of the airport, to rest and read  in     

                     peace. Beside the armchair where the packet of cookies lay, a man sat down in next 

                     seat, opened his magazine and started reading.

                                                                                  

                     When she took out the first cookie, the man took one also. She felt irritated but

                     said nothing. She just thought: "What a nerve! If I was in the mood I would punch 

                     him for daring!" For each cookie she took, the man took one too. This was

                     infuriating her but she didn't want to cause a scene.

                                                                                  

                     When only one cookie remained, she thought: "Ah...What this abusive  man do
                     now?" Then, the man, taking the last cookie, divided it into half, giving her one

                     half.  Ah! That was too much! She was much too angry now! She looked at the man

                     with dagger eyes and in a buff, took her book, her things and stormed to the boarding

                     place.

                                                                                

                     When she sat down in her seat, inside the plane, she looked into her purse to

                     take her eyeglasses, and, to her surprise, her packet of cookies was there untouched,

                     unopened! She felt so ashamed! She realized how wrong she was. She had forgotten 

                     that her cookies were kept in her purse.

                                                                                

                     The man had divided his cookies with her, without feeling angered or bitter...

                     while she had been very angry. And now there was no chance to explain her self...

                     nor to apologize her rude behavior.

                                                                                   ***

                     LESSON: Are we like that lady at times--quick to judge and attribute 

                    wrong motives to other's action without first knowing the truth?

                    Be careful in judging others, imputting bad motives against others.

                                                                                

                    Rash judgement is forbidden by God's 8th Commandment: "You shall not   

                    bear false witness against your neighbor." There are four things that you 

                    cannot recover. The stone...after the throw! The word...after it is said! The

                    opportunity...after the loss! The time...after it's gone!