A scenario translated and comments

by

Kathryn Taylor

Boarding a crowded commuter train,

I observe…….

Workers, weary from their day….

Tourists, tired from their play…..

Business people, busy still with work…..

Three young siblings racing about noisily,

Bouncing into strangers,

Playing tag….. fighting over who’s “it”….

I spy the negligent father…

staring out the window…

Oblivious and uncaring…..

of his children’s intrusive behavior……

Passenger’s tensions rising….

sideways glances….. mumbled objections….

Silent judgments….. ill-willed thoughts…

Children still racing about…….

Finally …..!!!

“SIR!”………nothing……

“SIR!!”….a wit’s-end woman yells out….

Slowly the father turns,

Facing all the angered strangers….

“Can’t you control your children!!!??”, the woman blurts…..

“Don’t you care they are disrupting us all??!!”

………..Silence……….

………More silence……….

The man stands…..tears fill his eyes……

He reaches towards his children….

They come to him…….

and he says to all,

……”I’m so very sorry…..forgive me…….you see….

We just came from the hospital………

Their mother…..

My wife…….

Died today……..

And I’m so full of grief and anguish…..

I wasn’t paying attention…..they’ve been cooped up all day……

Please…..forgive us….”, and they sat……..

Silence………

More silence………

The passengers’ one-tracked minds had been derailed……..

Anger….frustration….judgment…..condemnation…..

Harsh scowls….sideways glances…...fidgeting bodies…..

All came to a screeching halt……..

Just as the train…. as well….. came to an abrupt station stop…..

The man and what was left of his family….

Silently disembarked…..

The train door closed…….released it’s brakes…..

Began moving forward again…..

The father turned….waved….. and mouthed the words,

………..”I’m so sorry, again”…….….

There was not a dry-eyed passenger in that train compartment….

……..How instantly …….

anger turned to compassion……..

judgment turned to grief……..

condemnation turned to acceptance…..

Heads hung in shame…..

Each contemplated how they had been so wrong

About something that appeared so obvious…….

How about you??  Have you ever been like one of us passengers?………….  Or, maybe you’ve been misjudged like the father?……..  How about situations in your own life?……….  Do you have broken relationships?…….  Has anyone gotten mad at you and you don’t know why?……  Have you ever blamed or thought ill of someone else?  …………. Assumed another’s reasons or motives for something they did or didn’t do?  ……..falsely accused someone not knowing the whole story, maybe?  Could you ever have been a little kinder?  ……a little more forgiving?  …….given someone the benefit of doubt? 

What if…………..??

JUST……..

What if………. there was that one little piece you didn’t know about in a given situation………………..a piece that would bring you to a complete halt in your feelings towards that person……….

………… and instead, fill you with love, remorse, forgiveness, empathy and compassion……like those passengers did for that father and his children??????

Maybe it’s time to check if you have a one-tracked mind………

KT

All rights reserved, 2011, ã Kathryn Taylor

Copying without permission for non-personal use is forbidden

The Train of One Tracked Minds.....

Sometimes things seem so cut and dried.....like there could be only one reason...one destination....one way to get there....and sometimes.....we're just wrong about it all together........