Second Glances at First Thoughts

Being human, we all have thoughts and ideas about others and the world around us. Often, our first impression about others is based on assumptions triggered from within ourselves. Life experience, stereotypes, personal problems, instincts, any of these things can create assumptions or perceptions.

Many times these assumptions are negative. Everyone has negative perceptions and thoughts. Being human, this is inevitable. Some may be valuable in that they serve to keep us safe, especially when triggered by instincts. Other negative assumptions or perceptions are unfounded, useless, and a waste of time. These can hinder us in our interaction with the Divine.

Everyone is a part of the Divine, and giving a second thought to a negative assumption is a good exercise in recognizing the Divine in others. Taking a moment to assess the origin of our perceptions in an effort to validate them can, over time, aid in reducing inner barriers that keep us from seeing the Divine in others. People have reasons for what they do, reasons that have much more to do with their own lives than ours. When someone does something like cutting us off in traffic, they're not behaving to irritate us. They're focusing on their own life. (This is not an excuse for wrong behavior: just an attempt to understand it and recognize its inpersonality).

This is not to say that we should go around painting everything with a rosy picture. After all, many of our perceptions are correct. However, giving a second thought and attempting to remove the unfounded assumptions, stereotypes, and internal blinders in ourselves allows us to see the Divine more clearly, both within ourselves and in others.

Questions:
Do you see others as they are or as you think they are?
Do you harbor unfounded stereotypes? And if so why, and what can you do to see past them?
Do you assume the negative in a situation, and if so why?