Welcome to the final FMF link-up of July! Next Friday will be August already! Time, slow down . . .

If you’re new to Five Minute Friday, a special welcome to you. You can click here to learn more about the link-up and how it works.

This week’s FMF writing prompt is: PERCEPTION

Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO. 

I often wonder how many times I jump to conclusions and make a judgment or assumption about something based on an inaccurate perception of the situation.

I can think of numerous times it happened and I was embarrassed afterwards, but I wonder how many more times I’ve done it without even realizing.

Many of you know my husband is a Black South African, which means our kids are not white. When they were younger, on multiple occasions when I was walking alone with them and without my husband, people would assume my kids were adopted.

Have I not made the same and similar assumptions about others?

And this is just one example . . .

I’m not really sure how to reduce these occurrences and misconceptions, except perhaps to slow down, ask more questions, and not rush to my own conclusions with a lack of adequate knowledge or information.

Sometimes these wrong perceptions and assumptions are harmless and sometimes humorous — but what about when they do damage, either to a relationship or to someone’s reputation?

May we be quick to listen, slow to speak, and careful with our perceptions and assumptions.

STOP. 

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Join us with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, PERCEPTION, below, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment: