For Hive Reachout Prompt 121 - "Too Late"
This prompt reminds me of what happened to me at the market last month.
I went to Main Market to buy some school things. The market was very crowded, as usual. Plenty people shouting "come and buy," okada passing, women carrying load on their head.
As I was walking, I saw a woman in front of me. She was well dressed, with a fine gown. But I noticed her zip at the back was a little bit open. It was showing small, like it was about to tear. You could see small line of her inner cloth.
I saw it and I wanted to tell her. I said in my mind "Aunty, your zip is open small, if you can help and fix it or hold it, or let me help you find a safety pin."
But then I started thinking. I said "Ah, it's just small na, it's not really going to tear. It's just small opening. If I tell her now, she might feel embarrassed. People will be looking at us. It's just a small thing, it will not tear."
I felt what I wanted to give - that small warning, that small help - was not important. It was too small to matter. So I kept quiet and continued walking behind her.
We didn't walk up to one minute. We reached where they sell shoes, where plenty guys were sitting. Suddenly I heard people laughing - "hahahaha." I looked.
The woman's zip had completely torn open at the back. Her whole bra and back was now showing. She didn't even know. People were laughing and pointing. One woman had to quickly rush to her and cover her back with wrapper.
The woman was so embarrassed, she quickly held her dress and ran to a corner to fix it. Her face was red with shame.
I stood there feeling very bad. I had seen it when it was still small and I could have helped her quietly. A small whisper - "Aunty, your zip" - would have saved her from that big embarrassment. But I thought my small help was not needed, that the zip will not really tear.
It was too late.
She suffered public embarrassment that I could have prevented if I had spoken when I saw the small sign.
I felt guilty throughout that day. I kept saying "I saw it early but I thought it was too small to talk about."
That is what this prompt is saying. Sometimmes we see someonee needingg small helpp, small correctioon, small love, but we think "it's just small, it's not immportant, what I have is not enough.___" We wait for big opportunity to help, but we miss the small one that matters most.
I learneed that if you see somethingg that can help someonee, no matteer how small you think it is, say it, do it noow. Don't wait. Don't think it's too small.
Because a small zip open can become a big shame in one minute. And by then, it is too late to help.
IMAGE SOURCE AI