This happened when I was at Third Place Books with Tea. I was looking to get some comics and happened upon Laddertop while browsing through the manga section of the store. I flipped through some pages and wasn’t too thrilled about the art, and thought “Tea would have a laugh at this!” I took the book to her and presented it without saying what I thought of it, so certain she would share my reaction. But then she read through the book and enjoyed it. She enjoyed it so much that she began expressing heartfelt appreciation for what I had done before I could express my surprise. Then I read the book and did find it to be fairly enjoyable despite my initial reaction.

I take this as a lesson that one shouldn’t be too quick to judge the outcome of a situation. Sometimes by approaching a situation lightly can lead to unexpected developments. What may look like a fun laugh for you may be someone else’s joy and adventure. You may find that that person’s reaction can change your perception as well.

-Yuji

Laddertop is a graphic novel written by Orson Scott Card and Emily Janice Card, and is illustrated by Honoel A. Ibardolaza.