First impressions are almost always wrong

As a simple observer on the subway, I have learned that first impressions are almost always wrong.

I was sitting on the subway when a very frightening man sat in front of me. He had lots of facial hair, a ball cap, rough looking clothes covered in paint. He wore a frown-like expression that made me a tad uncomfortable.

A woman came in and sat next to him. With her was a stroller and a little child who was smiling away. The man looked at the woman, and than looked at the child, and did the most extraordinary thing. He stuck his tongue out. The child squealed with delight.

He smiled, and continued smiling the rest of the way.

Was I proven wrong or what! I think people really do expect the worse of others. We don't want to believe that everyone is kind and fair, because we are afraid of what will happen if we are wrong.

I once offered an elderly man a seat on the subway, and he said "miss, I have been sitting for the past 4 hours, I really just want to stand". I have witnessed a 4 year old girl burst out in song on the TTC, singing (in pretty good pitch) "Old Macdonald had a farm". Everyone smiled. No one tried to stop her, even on verse 31.

The people in this world are remarkable...if only we give them the opportunity to show it.