Motive

“Let’s run; c’mon!” my daughter said, breaking into a stride through the parking lot.

I pressed the remote button to open the van door for her as I walked quickly through the rain.

She reached the car well ahead of me, and went into the front seat.

“Don’t!” I said in vain as she put her wet foot on my seat.

But she was only trying to reciprocate–trying to open the door for me so that I wouldn’t get wet; just like I had done for her.

I was more concerned, though, about her getting in the front seat, and subsequently about my seat getting wet, than I was about her motive.

And, unfortunately, her great motive was trumped by my bad assumption, and by my greater concern for what was happening than for what she was trying to do.

Suspend judgment; discern motive.

I made a mental note of that today–next time I’ll react less to what is happening and more to motive.

~ by stoshdwalsh on October 3, 2009.