Deborah Smith

We hurt each other more often through ignorance

than through spite.

If we have hurt each other, say,

“I am very sorry and want to resolve this.

I must have misunderstood you.”

Each of us has our own unique perspective.

Seen from it, everyone seems to be right.

But if we want to come to an agreement,

rather than asserting our own perspective,

we need to say:

“Your perspective reveals something

that I had been unaware of.

Tell me more, because I want to understand it.”

Instead of trying to persuade,

we should first try to understand the other person.

When someone does something to distress you

for no apparent reason,

or behaves completely unreasonably,

for your own sake, repeat to yourself:

“Big world, some weirdos!”