Paws, Before You Jump To Judge

Honey For The Heart - 4

“Ohhh! But I thought Bunny and I were besties,”
Bumble-the-bear grumbled, drawing slow circles in the mud.
“If no one else would, he’d get me. But… turns out, I was just dreaming up a fairytale.”

The weight of disappointment tugged at his voice.
“What did he mean when he said he was friends with me, accepting me, how I am?
Was it just a polite way of saying I’m… difficult?
Like he was saying: this is how I see you?”

Piggy didn’t respond. He let the silence stretch — like a furry blanket comforting a bruised heart.
He knew Bumble didn’t need answers yet. He needed to be heard.

“And now,” Bumble added, eyes lowered, “I don’t even feel sad. Just… small. Like someone peeked at me through a keyhole and decided that tiny frame was enough to judge all of me.”

Piggy scooted closer, gently poking bear’s paw.
“Bumble, people judge what they don’t take time to understand. One single slip, one stray word, one scar — and they think they know your whole story. As if one chapter explains the whole book.”

Bear looked up, his round eyes a little sad.
“But why are we in such a hurry to label?
Why do we reduce people to a flaw, a sentence… a label?”

Piggy glanced at the sunlight dancing through the leaves.
“Maybe because it’s easier, Bumble. Easier to label than to listen.
To judge than to sit with someone’s truth.
Understanding takes time.
But judgment? That costs nothing but a glance… and maybe a few wagging tongues.”

He turned to Bumble-the-bear with tenderness.
“You, my friend, are way too big for keyholes. To know you is to stay long enough to see the soft paws, the brave heart, the gentle thoughts, the frizzy fur… and that honey-craving soul.
You’re not a page-turner, Bumble, but a slow-read book.
And I love all of it — even the stained, nibbled, frayed pages — just like you love all of me!”

Bear didn’t answer right away.
But a smile tugged at his mouth.
That quiet, grateful kind… the kind that curves when someone sees you fully — flaws, fluff, and all — and chooses to stay anyway.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Piggy.”

Piggy grinned.
“I know. That’s why I’m your bestie.”