Closed bridges and open umbrellas...

Something funny happened today - something that made me smile a lot, and then ponder a bit...

I closed my umbrella as I approached the bridge on Kanjurmarg station, glanced on the platform to see which train was scheduled, and then started climbing the steps; when I saw something that made me smile - a guy on the bridge was walking with his umbrella still open - in the hurry to reach the platform and catch a train, he had forgotten to close his umbrella - didn't realize that the bridge was covered and he no longer needed to shield himself from the rain anymore. Quite commonplace. Have seen it happen quite often, and sometimes even have climbed halfway through a bridge before being aware, smiling goofily and closing my umbrella. :-)

Don't you think our prejudices, judgements and preconceived notions are a lot like these open umbrellas? There might have been times when we needed them and their protective shield; but after some time, we eventually come under safe bridges, where we no longer need the shield of these "prejudiced" umbrellas.
But we are unaware, and continue to keep them open. Perhaps, we often need to pause, think and decide whether it's time to close these self-created umbrellas, make ourselves free and move on...

After all, it's ridiculous to be seen under a closed bridge with an open umbrella, isn't it? :-)