it’s something that probably applies to a large number of people. we think we understand the feelings of someone, and we say things or act in a manner in which we think is right. perhaps those actions and words are well-intentioned, but like the author has learned time and again from self made mistakes, never to be too presumptuous. it’s never as easy as we think to truly and fully understand how someone else feels about something, unless we have had a similar experience. even then, we still have to realize that everyone’s view of the world is unique, and someone else’s perception of the world is probably different from our own.

perhaps it is a monumental, maybe even impossible task to entirely understand another person, no matter how close to us they may be. but despite all of that, one of the best things that we could probably do is to be willing to listen, and to do our best to understand without being judgmental. we are only human: most of us don’t like to be judged, yet it seems so easy to judge others. we may not show it, but somewhere in our minds, we inevitably tend to form some preconceived perception based on our personal normative opinions.

yet, however hard it may be to refrain from making personal judgments, the most important thing would probably be to just do the best we can, to be a friend, a listener, someone who is by the other person’s side when they need it.