The first impression

It's commonly said that the first impression is the last. Turns out that this couldn't be more wrong. Here's why

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

It's commonly said that the first impression is the last.

While it's true that whenever we meet someone we imagine things and even make a preliminary analysis about them, the first impression certainly reflects the haste with which we judge others.

But can we, at the first moment, evaluate the character of others?

Indeed but caution is needed on this first impression as it may lead to false conclusions. For example, shy or reserved people can be considered unfriendly at first glance while mocking or light-hearted creatures may appear only cheerful, in superficial contact.

What is important is that before getting to know someone deeply, we avoid forming firm and irrevocable opinions about their character. Keep an open mind for a possible review of the initial impact that someone has on us.

Take your time before judging others

Sometimes we experience an influx of immediate and profound sympathy for a new friend. However, it's convenient to get to know them better before opening our life and hearts to them

In other occasions we may even feel an immediate dislike for others. In the same way, we must not close the door to understanding just based on a hunch. After controlling the first impulse, try to understand the essence of the other person before labeling them as good or bad.

Emotional Caution

We must learn to use reason in our social life. Neither too close, nor ice cold before getting to know better who arrives in our lives.

An because we often allow great intimacies to strangers who we immediately sympathized with, it's important to remind about emotional caution. Emotional caution does not mean being a bad or cold person. It's just a preventive protection against the world we live in, full of ignorance and violence.

Disappointments

And how to handle disappointments?

For example, we received guest in our house, told our secrets without any caution and then, we felt entitled to say that the new friend let us down. Turns out that people are not always what they appear to be.

Others are what they are, not what we think they should be. No one has an obligation to meet our expectations since the expectations are ours. We are the ones who created them, in our absence of discernment.

We are all fallible because we are human. When we say that someone has disappointed us, we must think that the responsibility for the disappointment is ours. It's us who created an illusion from the other person.

Educate our emotions

It is important that we educate our emotions so we don't expect more from others than they can give.

It is also necessary to know others well before qualifying them one way or another. Only when we perceive their defects and virtues will we be able to identify their intentions.

Final Thoughts

Perceiving the difficulties of others, and yet loving them is a sign of emotional and spiritual maturity. Let us therefore take care of the first impression that others make on us.

With time, discretion and discernment, we will discover the people with whom we have a real affinity. Knowing the other person well is the best we can do to love them without prejudice or unrealistic expectations.

Let us educate our emotions so that we are not driven by impulses.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on July 13, 2018.

See Also

• The Power of Love
• Weighted observation
• The most important bridge
• Bridge of Life
• A Thinking Power
• Divine Poem

Spontaneous Good

Good examples inspire others and make a big difference for all of us

Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

It is common today to hear about indifference, selfishness, greed and misery.

However, if there are those who only think of themselves ignoring the well-being of others, more and more there are movements of solidarity happening around us.

It was a spontaneous initiative that saved the lives of nine people on a beach in Florida.

Roberta was in the company of her mother, husband, children and nephews. After diving in the sea, she was surprised to find her family members very far from the shore. The children cried and everyone shouted that they were being pulled away by the current.

Desperate, thinking of saving them, she entered the water again. A bather noticed and soon realized that people were drowning. Immediately, she picked up a bodyboard she found on the sand and swam towards the family. Meanwhile, her husband also entered the water, with some people, starting to form a human current.

And, while Jessica was rowing, the chain increased, with eighty people joining hands, reaching a distance of one hundred meters.

Thanks to this, it was possible to save all the family members, bringing them to the sand one by one.

Roberta later commented that she did not even remember being rescued. She just remembered waking up on the beach after passing out. Her mother had to be resuscitated and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

Deeply grateful, she said she owed her and the lives of her family members to this great bond of solidarity that was formed when she discovered people in danger.

Good Examples

The spontaneity of this example is noteworthy. It shows us that there's always support for good, everywhere. It also shows us how open we are ready to help others when they need.

And this example teaches us another important lesson - good examples that inspire others make a big difference.

Difference between poverty and hunger. Difference between misery and acceptance. Difference between ignorance and instruction.

Final Thoughts

In essence, this story teaches us that it doesn't matter who we are, what country we come from or what language we speak. We are a single family living in the same world and our good actions not only benefit others but ourselves too.

Think about it.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on August 22, 2017.

See Also

• The Power of Love
• Weighted observation
• The most important bridge
• Bridge of Life
• A Thinking Power
• Divine Poem

A Transformative Power

How far can your work, your thoughts and your habits take you?

Photo by Wikipedia

In the region of Puglia, in Italy, there is a charming province called Alberobello. The name derives from Sylva Arboris Belli, which means jungle of war trees. Well located geographically, between the Adriatic and Ionian seas, on top of a hill, since ancient times, it deserved the greed of conquerors of different origins.

The trulli houses (which means dome) are noteworthy. They are white, cylindrical and are built by overlapping stones. The ceiling is formed by a dome, also made of stone, where symbols are often painted.

Trulli exist only in this region, north of Puglia, but nowhere else is the concentration greater than in Alberobello. For this reason, they have been considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1996.

The province has a rich history of glories and sacrifices, and is currently a major producer of olive oil. Its calcareous soil gives life to twelve million olive trees, some of which are considered the oldest in the world.

In the past, this region was the bottom of the sea, with the soil covered in limestone, thanks to the natural changes that occurred on the planet. Devastated by audacious conquerors, their farmers kept breaking up the earth's crust until they found suitable soil for planting and life.

This gigantic work, which required great effort and persistence, resulted in this abundant production of olive oil almost enough to feed the entire country and still sell abroad.

What are capable of?

This region attracts thousands tourists every year interested in seeing what human beings are capable of doing. Our transforming power conquers the soil and overcomes the rock seeking fertile land for abundant production.

In these difficult days it's up to each of us to use our own extraordinary powers.

Faced with the stones of the difficulties, we can overcome our challenges if we want to. And by working together we become a stronger force for progress, converting deserts into gardens.

Our verb, our attitudes can encourage those around us who are indifferent and tormented to change their attitudes. Our actions serve as important examples to those around us who, stimulated by them, become an important support to solve serious problems that distress many.

Conclusion

With continuous effort, we will find the blessed soil of love for the planting of happiness and peace.

Aware of ourselves, we can make our life worthy, acting in a positive way. The unhappy land, still useless and covered with stones will receive the beneficial action of our actions.

Together we are able to eradicate ignorance, alleviate hunger and warm up those who suffer around us. Let us put our hands into action and use hearts and brains for good.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on September 09, 2017.

See Also

• The poetry of life
  
• Weighted observation
• Suicide: a global calamity
• A Thinking Power
• Poverty and Wealth
• Divine Poem