"MISS JUDGE..."

by: karl brian utar

I can't resist gazing at the stars every night and admire them. It would take me a minute or two to be staring at the sky. Stars are too many that it's ridiculous to count them one by one. But there are still a few that shine the brightest. At times, I would ask myself if beauty is certainly hard to reach like those stars. "How lucky can one person be if he or she is beautiful", I'd remark.




Last night, it wasn't only those stars that i noticed. When I went to buy a bottle of coke and a pack of Chipy, I saw a group of guys bullying Paul a.k.a "Boy Putol". They were calling him names again. It was like one of those scenes in a teleserye where the weak was being oppressed. Paul had an amputated right arm. Even though I wanted to be heroic and teach those idiots some manners, I didn't have the guts to do so. I was afraid because they were older than me. For a fact if I'd told them many times not to pick on him, they wouldn't understand that easily (they're stupid - remember?). I just don't get it why people find pleasure teasing someone by their imperfection.




Why is our world so hung up on appearance that sometimes we judge a person right way based on the way he looks? Why do we not bother finding out on what they're really about? Why do we raise our noses when we pass by someone who is dressed wrong and different from us? Make foul comments like: "... thank God, I don't look like him." Why are we so insecure about ourselves that we have to make an outcast of anyone who is different? God does not judge by outward appearance; He look at the heart. why can't we learn the same thing?




It seems so unreasonable that people will avoid some guy because he is too tall or too skinny or too short or not muscular enough. but it happened a lot. Girls are being discarded because they have flat "you-know-what" or she's too chubby because she's been eating a lot. This kind of judgement happened a lot at school and at church. It influences our decisions on who gets to join clubs, who gets to be a cheerleader or the class president. Four years in High School and I can attest that those who look good and those who are rich have more advantage compared to those who aren't so attractive although they are more capable enough to do the job.




But it really gets bad when we start looking for someone to date or even marry. We haven't even got to know the person a lot better but we already. I know appearance do matter somehow. However if you're going to pass up someone who is courting you just because he isn't good looking and give attention to the one who is undeniably handsome, then it's unfair. Why not give equal attention to both parties? Of course, I also have my physical insecurities. I'm not mister ramp model/actor. Sometimes, I hate looking at the mirror especially when i comb my hair because it's not bouncy or attractively straight.



I always dream of being someone admired without even making an effort. But then when I come to think of it, I don't want to be admired just like that-just mere good looks. I'd always hear this line if beauty was to be discussed, "Dont judge the book by its cover". Is it such a cliche ? No wonder it has been always used, because it is true.