This piece was written by the author for a contest run by Sailing Leaf in January, 2018.

“When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”

                                                                                         ― R.J. Palacio, Wonder

As I watch that tear slide down her cheek,

A small, imperfect mark,

In that one moment I chose to be right,

And struck hard and sharp. 

Regret washes through me,

As I feel the weight of that mistake, 

I know she was wrong in what she said,

But her happiness was not mine to take.

I looked only at what I saw, but that is not always all,

And ignored the choice I got,

Two chances to react to one situation,

And chose right, but the correct one not. 

I was so focused with being right,

To forget that kindness heals more,

Right doesn't always benefit,

And can often leave a heart sore. 

If I had looked at why,

I could have chosen kind,

If I had seen what was hidden from view,

I could have changed my mind.  

Choosing right is not always correct,

For there may be something not said; not seen,

Kind always looks beyond,

Always gives you a shoulder on which to lean. 

Now that I look back,

And realise I cannot take back my words,

I find that kind would have helped more,

But right may also hurt. 

Amrita Binepal, Grade 7, Heritage Xperiential Learning School, Gurgaon