I will never understand why people make "tsk" or "ssss" sounds when someone steps on their foot or knocks on them by accident. They even give "annoyed" looks when it is obvious that the other did not mean any harm. It was just an accident... I mean COME ON! People don't go on the road with the intention of accidentally knocking on someone or stepping on another's foot. (Please note, I am not talking about the jobless, IRC people who do it to annoy girls. I am talking about just normal people we meet on the road).
What's even worse is how they quickly smile if it is a friend and keep the annoyed look if it is someone they don't know or don't like.
The other day I was waiting for the elevator at work. There was a man of about 50 waiting for it and while we were there a lady of about 35 came. When the elevator came, the man let us get in first before he got in. (Very gentleman like I thought). Then once he got on, he pressed the button of the floor he needed to go to and took a step back. In doing so, he accidentally stepped on the other woman's foot. The woman made a loud "sssssss" sound and looked away. The man quickly said "sorry" and the woman quietly mumbled a "it's ok" still keeping her annoyed look. The man was upset and said "sorry" again to which the woman said "it's ok", a little louder than the last time. Me being the 3rd party could feel the tension rising. The man got down from the elevator. The moment he got down, the lady looked at her feet and gave me a "oh how careless that man was" look. I just smiled.
Even after I got down from the elevator I couldn't stop thinking that the woman should've reacted in a different way. I am sure it hurt but the poor man didn't mean to hurt her. What if it was her son? What if it was her old father? So many questions ran through my mind.
I just wish people would learn to forgive others even in small things like these. Because if not, how can we learn to forgive bigger things? How can we ever find solutions to bigger problems in the world? A smile can make people happy. We all know how to smile when there is pain. Why not change the way we react even when someone steps on our foot by accident? What's the use of making that person feel bad than they already do?
Just think about this...
