never assume anything

Once an American executive was on a train in northern India with his business partner. The train’s departure time was delayed. They sat across a table from two Indian monks wearing saffron robes who looked to be in their late thirties or early forties. Much to their chagrin, the delay in their departure went on and on.

One of the monks that sat across from them took out a tiny religious booklet from his bag started reading passages to his friend in Hindi. 

“These folks remind me of a good friend from college”, the American man said in a voice they could clearly hear. He didn’t think these two monks spoke English. “He was nice but way nerdier than I could handle,” he said and chuckled. “I hope God listens to them and gets this train moving. It’s already late afternoon and we haven’t even left the station.”

Finally, the train took off. About half an hour into the ride, one of the monks across from them offered them tea and smiled. “So, where are you guys from?” he asked in a perfect English accent.

Some people say that whenever we assume something, we make an ass out of u and me. It’s best to never assume anything, no matter where or with whom you find yourself. When we assume, we run the risk of annoying other people and making an ass out of ourselves. 

Often we fall into the trap of prejudging people based on their appearances. We can look down upon someone and easily assume that they have nothing to teach or contribute to us because of their humble or simple lifestyle. On the other hand, we can prejudge certain people to be nothing less than gods and saints and treat them with utmost respect only to get disappointed later on when we find out they’re not who we thought they were. 

Do you have a history of prejudging people and situations rather than staying open-minded and aware? If yes, it’s time to change yourself. Stay curious, stay humble, and always be ready to expect the unexpected. You never know when the circumstances might change all of a sudden.