Understanding

“During almost the entirety of my life, in my quest to be understood and to understand others, this is what I have culled from my experiences. Friendship is not defined by doing what you want for another but by providing the thing or action they need. A good lover is not just a giver of pleasure but a person who discovers and unblocks that which keeps their partner from feeling pleasure. More is gained from listening to another’s opinion than plotting to discredit it. A good teacher is not enamored with the sound of their own voice and the knowledge they possess but seeks a language their pupil speaks and can hear. A good coach does not expect their players to be the same player they were but instead nourishes what each player has to offer the team. To relate to the young, one must be able to remember with honest clarity their own youth. In short, to be able to truly understand anything in life you must be willing to shed the trappings of self, see life through the lens of another, and then meet them where they are not where you are or think they should be.”