Leaves, Laughter, and a Little Lesson on Judgement

We were blessed with amazing autumn weather the other weekend, and it drew us up into the mountains. It was one of those golden days — crisp air, sunshine, and leaves turning every shade of red and gold. My son was absolutely thrilled. He ran through the forest, played in the leaves, and even made a new friend while we enjoyed lunch in the sunshine.

After eating, we wandered over to a viewpoint overlooking “the Swiss Grand Canyon” — the Rheinschlucht. While taking in the view, I noticed another little boy, slightly older than my son, with his parents. He was just as excited, pointing things out and chattering away. It was heartwarming to watch.

A little while later, as we continued our walk through the forest bursting with autumn colors, we saw them again. This time, the boy was sitting in a pram, completely absorbed in an iPhone.I caught myself thinking, “Hmpf.”

On the drive home, I mentioned it to my husband, who reacted much the same way. But then I stopped and laughed. “You know,” I said, “they’re probably driving home right now talking about how irresponsible it is to let a little boy walk so far, play in the dirt, and get covered in filthy leaves.” We both laughed — and it made me think.

I’ll never know if that’s true, but it reminded me of something important: there are always multiple sides to every story. We all see the world through our own experiences, habits, and environments — and often, what we judge in others simply reflects a different way of living, not a wrong one.