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There are sociopathic killers in our midst—men who murdered those
ten innocents in that bank robbery in Cabuyao. Chances are some of
them are married and have children. They are there when their kids
celebrate their birthdays. Perhaps they even attend funerals and
baptisms. Maybe they are even at Mass once in a while.
There is a saying that says that goes, “thin
ice and thick ice look the same from a distance.” Here in the
Philippines, we don’t have the cold of winter that causes lakes to
freeze over. Where I come from, however, it can get so cold and the
ice can become so thick that you can drive a truck on it. But as the
proverb says, from a distance looks can be deceiving. Thin ice and
thick ice can look the same. And if you miscalculate and walk on
thin ice as I once did as a kid, you find yourself in freezing water
and in deep trouble.
We often find difficulty knowing what men and
women are all about. From a distance, we might not know the
difference between the righteous and the criminal. We are all too
often surprised to learn that someone we deeply respected and
believed in turns out to be dishonest. Conversely, the man we
suspected of being disloyal ends up being the most loyal. Thin ice
and thick ice can look the same from a distance.
We once hired two employees. One was clearly
incompetent. The other appeared to be so well balanced and matured.
We fired the incompetent one even if she was sincere and honest
because she just could not do the job. Before long the “matured”
one was caught stealing and we fired her too. She begged us not to
file a case against. Her tears caused us to relent and we simply
told her to leave. Incredibly, she stole from us again on her way
out.
Appearances can be so deceptive. There are those
who hide under the guise of proper behavior and good manners. And
there are those who do not make a good first impression, but who
prove their value over the long run. It can all be so confusing.
The lesson to be learned here is that it is wise
to withhold judgment either way until one allows the test of time to
reveal the person, one way or another.
It is also wise to expect surprises either way.
And we should not feel bad if we totally misjudge a person for
better or for worse. Remember that thin ice and thick ice look the
same from a distance.
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If you have problems about drugs, alcohol and
behavior/attitude call my office at 8206107 or 8251771 or e-mail me
at gvcbuenca@vasia.com or write me at P.O. Box 2099 MCPO, Makati
City.
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