Judge, And Be Judged

"We should not judge people by their peak of excellence;

but by the distance they have traveled

from the point where they started."

Henry Ward Beecher

It has been a while since I have fallen beneath my personal expectation of 'self'.  I was dining with two friends in a quaint restaurant and when the waitress approached, wreaking of cigarette smoke. My taste buds took a dive and my tolerance did, too.

The water glasses had food stuck inside of them, but I acknowledged the cleanliness comes from the kitchen not the wait staff.  This also took a cut in my appetite.  Our food was brought out, and I sheepishly say it was good, but my overall displeasure was righteously placed on the server.

Checks delivered, I pondered my dissatisfaction.  This irritated part of me wanted my server to know I was displeased, and  therefore, I left a minimal tip.  As I exited the dining room, I glanced back at the table and realized, my extraordinary friends had tipped her exceptionally well.  Immediately, I knew they had felt compassion for whatever challenge this woman was facing, and I had displayed none.  I had judged, and the judgment returned to me was swift and to the point.