“Speak your truth quietly and clearly;/ and listen to others,/ even the dull and the ignorant;/ they too have their story./ Avoid loud and aggressive persons;/ they are vexatious to the spirit.” -Desiderata
Everyone has a story–the dull, the ignorant, the loud, and aggressive persons too. That story can sometimes be surprising, and make us view that certain individual in a new light. Sometimes all it takes is a little act of kindness to see a well hidden and often vulnerable side of someone–kindness as simple as a smile or as elaborate as a surprise candled cake on their birthday. People are the way they are for a reason. They have chosen to become the person they are as a result of their experiences. We shouldn’t judge, but we almost always do, because in judging others we’re also, in a way, trying to understand ourselves. In characterizing others, we’re trying to realize how our place in this world differs from that of others. Yet, if we spent more energy listening to the stories that others silently convey we probably stand to learn something, even if we don’t necessarily get along with the storyteller. At very least, by listening, we can come closer to understanding what someone’s journey has been until the present point. At most, we can perhaps learn from the experiences of others. I have my stories, and you too have your own stories. Speak up.
Today….They too have their stories.
“Speak your truth quietly and clearly;/ and listen to others,/ even the dull and the ignorant;/ they too have their story./ Avoid loud and aggressive persons;/ they are vexatious to the spirit.” -Desiderata
Everyone has a story–the dull, the ignorant, the loud, and aggressive persons too. That story can sometimes be surprising, and make us view that certain individual in a new light. Sometimes all it takes is a little act of kindness to see a well hidden and often vulnerable side of someone–kindness as simple as a smile or as elaborate as a surprise candled cake on their birthday. People are the way they are for a reason. They have chosen to become the person they are as a result of their experiences. We shouldn’t judge, but we almost always do, because in judging others we’re also, in a way, trying to understand ourselves. In characterizing others, we’re trying to realize how our place in this world differs from that of others. Yet, if we spent more energy listening to the stories that others silently convey we probably stand to learn something, even if we don’t necessarily get along with the storyteller. At very least, by listening, we can come closer to understanding what someone’s journey has been until the present point. At most, we can perhaps learn from the experiences of others. I have my stories, and you too have your own stories. Speak up.