January’s Mussar Dilemma
You attend a social gathering filled with family. Across the room you see someone you recognize that you haven’t seen in a while. You remember that the last time the two of you spoke there was a minor falling out and then you lost touch.
You could:
-Â Â Â Â Â Â cross the room and greet the person with a smile
-Â Â Â Â Â Â wait for the person to greet you first and then you will respond warmly
-Â Â Â Â Â Â pretend you didn’t see the person
What would you do? Share your opinion and leave a comment.
January 21st, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Since I know how irritated I feel when someone I recognize doesn\’t acknowledge me, regardless of how long I haven\’t seen them, I would indeed respond. Probably with a combination of the first two choices. I would smile from across the room and if it was reciprocated I would cross and converse. Choices and opinions in relationships years ago are often very different from those we might make as we age. Having said that it might just reinforce why we stopped staying in touch to begin with!!
January 28th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Very full answer, lots to think about but ultimately your last line brought a smile to my face – thank you. I’ll be reviewing our options in the next Newsletter especially taking note of the empathy that was your starting point. Much appreciated.