Don’t Judge a Book…

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Or a cat.

Or anything or anyone.

Like Stuart Smalley used to say, “That’s stinking’ thinkin.”

Meet Sid.

Or as we tend to call him, “Sid the Kid.”

Sid showed up on our doorsteps a few month back. If you look closely, part of his tail is gone, and the tips of both ears have been destroyed. He also has permanent wounds on his eyes, nose and mouth.

I admit, when I first saw him, I was slightly taken aback.

I thought, what kind of bad-ass scrapper are you? Damn, boy…

But then I realized, he had a wounded soul. And mind. And body.

We started feeding him and talking to him everyday. Initially, he wouldn’t eat until all of the other cats were finished. He would stay to the side, far enough away to not be noticed by the others. And then he would lick up the crumbs.

We started putting a bowl down next to him, to let him know that it was especially for him. After about week, he started to realize the message we were sending him.

Before long, the other outside cats had accepted him, in particular, the baby Moon Pie. She rubs all over him, which he didn’t handle well as first. But she eventually wore him down.

Love has a way of doing that.

We had wondered just where Sid had come from.

It turns out, one of our neighbors rescued him from a job site he was on. Sid just kept showing up each day, and it became obvious this sweet soul needed refuge.

He brought the little guy home, and his youngest daughter named him Sid. 

Sid stuck around for a few days, then he disappeared. 

And then one day he was back, and on our doorstep.

And he’s really never left.

Now the reason I’m writing about Sid, is because all of us at some time or another, have been guilty of looking at situations with little depth. We truly do judge books, and so many other things, by the cover.

And no one, nor anything, is rarely that simple.

There is a story there, and we all have the smarts to know that.

But it can be difficult, as well as emotional, which is why we sometimes don’t. 

It’s easier to dismiss people quickly, when we live in a world that is in a state of chaos. So many distractions. So freaking much to process. Easier to judge, and move on to the next chapter.

But when we stop allowing for anyone to have a backstory, we are short changing them and ourselves.

This doesn’t mean to have to discover the history of that soul.

Just remember that there is one.

And you will most likely never know what is it.

So just be kind. Give folks the benefit of the doubt. It doesn’t make you weak.

It makes you better.

Now, if you want to see how much better someone does with a little kindness, listen to this motor.